Forget Me Not
by Je Love You
Summary: The Hatter feared that Alice wouldn't remember him after she left Underland, but he never considered the possibility that he would forget Alice. AxH
1. One Drop

Forget Me Not

Summary: "You won't remember me." "Of course I will, how could I forget?" The Hatter feared that Alice wouldn't remember him, but he never considered the possibility that he would forget Alice. AxH

**A/N: **Hey everyone! I just wanted to let you all know that I kept this rating as T because according to the ratings guide, a T-fic can have "possible strong but non-explicit adult themes, references to violence, and strong coarse language." I feel like my scenes won't be overly graphic or too descriptive, more implications of what is happening than full-out descriptions. If you feel it is too graphically described, then let me know and I can edit it to tone down the writing. The only "adult theme" in this chapter is the dream in italics, so if you would like, feel free to skip the italicized part and start reading after that. All you need to know is that he had a less-than-innocent dream about Alice.

I hope you all enjoy the fanfic, and if you could R&R, it would be greatly appreciated! :3 I am always open to constructive criticism.

Disclaimer: I only own my OC's and this fanfic.

* * *

Chapter 1: One Drop

_The Hatter looked up. In the dark, he could see the silhouette of her slender frame, hovering over his shaking body. His heart was racing; the entire situation was foreign. Not only was Alice here, years after she promised she would return, she was here, in his house, in his bed._

_The Hatter suppressed a grunt as several sensations exploded within him. How could this be happening? How could this be-?_

"_What's wrong?" Alice asked in a whisper, leaning forward. He could feel skin against skin, and he released a shuddering breath._

"_You seem frightened," she said. The Hatter bit his lip as Alice made a sudden movement, driving him wild. Frightened was not a word he would use to describe how he felt at that moment. He could feel himself moving closer and closer, the grip on reality he had quickly slipping away. Oh, no._

"_Wait," he whispered, though in all honesty he did not want her to stop. He grasped her sides, feeling the movement between the two of them. She had to slow down or he was going to lose himself. He tried to tell her, but she didn't stop, a coy smile playing on her pink lips. The Hatter's eyes closed tightly, his breathing growing heavier with every passing second before-_

"Alice!"

The Hatter's rough Scottish brogue rang through his bedroom as he shot straight up in his bed, panting heavily and drenched in sweat. He looked wildly around and reached for the switch on his oil lamp, turning it on in extreme haste. No Alice, he noted. No clothes strewn about. It was just him, in his clock pajamas, in bed.

He collapsed into the covers with a muffled sigh. This had been the fourth in a sequence of Alice-related dreams, all less than innocent. He didn't understand what was going on, or why he envisioned Alice this way, but it severely distracted him during the day when spending time with his friends. The Hatter had always been a little off, but he was "off-ier" than usual, according to Mallymkun, his Dormouse friend. He seriously considered, after every dream, talking to the Cheshire Cat about it, but come morning he would always realize what a terribly embarrassing situation it would place himself in. Still, he could do with a dreamless sleep draught or even an answer as to why he was having them in the first place. How could he picture _the_ Alice in such a way? It was so uncharacteristic of her bold, yet passive demeanor. She was a strong-willed woman, not a tigress waiting to prey on a Hatter.

The Hatter shook his head. _Bad Tarrant, bad!_ Bad thoughts. Perhaps it was time to pay a visit to Marmoreal; the White Queen had a sizable stock of potions. She may have something to stop these dreams from occurring. If – when – Alice returned, the Hatter couldn't risk these dreams. He had already been surprised enough to see her grown up all those years ago, a truly proper Alice size. As the last remaining member of the Hightopp clan, he had to retain dignity, and he couldn't do so if he were constantly thinking of the Underland champion in such a way. Looking out the window, the Hatter saw it was still somewhat dark, but the sun would be rising soon. So he quickly bathed and got ready for the trip, heading out as soon as possible to be at the White Castle by late morning.

* * *

This was ridiculous.

Absolutely, incredibly, _extremely _ridiculous.

Alice had been returning to this accursed Rabbit Hole day after day since her return from China. She had been home in London for over a week now, but ever since docking she couldn't stop thinking of Underland and everyone she had left behind. Each day, after her meetings with Lord Ascot, she would take a stroll through his garden and end up pacing by the hole, the damned thing. It was calling out to her, wishing for her to fall through yet again. But how could she? She couldn't leave her mother behind after traveling for so long on business, and she was nowhere near getting married and moving out. At the ripe age of twenty-one, her mother already showed concern that she would never marry. Margaret, she had been reminded, had been married at nineteen, as had the Chattaway sisters.

No. Enough of marriage. She would be married - one day, in the future. But this was now. And this time she would do it. She would go down the hole. She didn't have to stay long. She could just visit. Yes, she would say hello, catch up with whomever was at the tea party, then have the White Rabbit escort her back up to London again. No one in London had to know she was gone.

Alice took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She lifted one foot, placed it over the hole, and-

"Alice!"

Alice jumped and fell backwards, away from the hole instead of towards it.

"Mother said I would find you here. Always on business, just like father." Margaret, Alice's older sister, was walking towards her, huffing in her usual pretty, but frilly dress.

"Come now, I have found the perfect dress for you to wear next month."

"Next month?" repeated Alice.

"Really, where is your head today, Alice? I have been talking about it nonstop for the past several days! It is Lowell's and my fifth-year anniversary next month, and we're hosting a dinner party at our home."

"Oh," said Alice, biting her lip. "How could I forget?"

Scumbag. Lowell was only lucky Alice hadn't caught him sneaking off with another pretty, naïve girl. One more slip-up, Alice had promised herself, and Lowell's dark deeds would be out in the open. Hours later, after a terribly uncomfortable carriage ride, Alice found herself at Gibb Manor – the 'home' of Margaret and Lowell. Alice was looking into a mirror, less than thrilled with what she saw.

"What do you think?" asked Margaret expectantly with a big smile. Alice fluffed the dress a little. She didn't want to hurt her sister's feelings, but she also didn't want to show up to a formal dinner party looking like a swollen eggplant.

"It's very pretty, but I don't usually wear purple and yellow together, Margaret."

* * *

The Hatter looked left.

Then he looked right.

He turned around in a full circle, green eyes scanning every nook and cranny.

No one.

One gloved hand dove into his pocket. A split second later, he was holding a vial of burgundy liquid in front of him, examining it with an intense stare.

_But one drop on the tongue, and that should help you forget the dreams that plague you so._

That was what the White Queen had said.

_It takes a bit of time to kick in, but it should work. Just one drop, do you understand me, Tarrant? Beyond one drop and it will do more than you will ever expect._

He had assured her he understood the value of one drop.

The Hatter looked around again. He would drink this potion, he had decided on the way back from the White Castle, then go to the world above. Not for Alice, he tried to convince himself. He would go merely to see what it was like up in her world. It was only fair, was it not? She had the opportunity to see his world – their world – shouldn't he get the same opportunity?

Yes. That would be why he would go up, and if he ran into her, so be it! He wouldn't remember the nasty dreams he was having by then anyway.

He uncorked the vial and lifted the edge carefully to his lips. He felt one drop touch his tongue.

"You're not actually going through with this are you?"

The Hatter jumped and inhaled in a gasp, the liquid being sucked into his nostrils and stinging the back of his throat. He coughed roughly as a result. The vial fell to the grass with a quiet shatter, and the remaining burgundy liquid stained the bottom of his pants.

"So sorry. Those were your good pants." The Cheshire Cat appeared out of thin air in front of the Hatter, that smug grin traveling from ear to ear. The Hatter was still coughing, trying to catch his breath.

"Go through with _what_?" asked the Hatter between gasps, and the Cat brushed his tail against the man's orange-stained face.

"Going to the world above," the Cat clarified in a drawl.

"What makes you think that?" asked the Hatter defensively, and the Cat looked around.

"You're standing by McTwisp's door to London, and you're drinking something. Though you haven't shrunk, so perhaps I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. What are you doing?"

"Well, I _was_ going to go to London," he began slowly, but he saw the look on Chessur's face. "It's not what you think! I couldn't dream of bringing Alice here against her will. I just- I want to see what it's like up there."

"And our Alice has nothing to do with it?"

"No," the Hatter lied. "Not at all." He was holding another vial now, one with clear liquid known to make the drinker shrink. Okay, so he had ingested a tad more than one drop of the White Queen's potion beforehand, but that wasn't his fault! It was Chessur's! Surely the potion would realize this and he would be all right? Potions always had good minds of their own here in Underland. Some of them, anyway.

"Tarrant, don't hurt yourself up there. McTwisp can handle himself, but I worry for you."

"I'm a grown man," The Hatter insisted, fixing his top hat with dignity. "I will be fine."

"Suit yourself, Tarrant," the Cheshire Cat, beginning to float away. "I will be here, keeping your seat at the table warm for your return."

"Thanks, Chess. I'll be back before you know it."

"That," the Cat said to himself as the Hatter began to shrink, "is what Alice said, and look how that turned out."

* * *

**A/N**: So, what did you think? :) R&R for the next chapter!


	2. A Dinner Party

Forget Me Not

Summary: "You won't remember me." "Of course I will, how could I forget?" The Hatter feared that Alice wouldn't remember him, but he never considered the possibility that he would forget Alice. AxH

**A/N: **I'm happy for the wonderful responses to the last chapter xD I was afraid the dream would be a tad too much. Alas, here is Chapter 2, and don't forget to R&R for the next chapter! PS the lines aren't appearing for me between scenes in Firefox still, (the line before the end of the chapter's A/N, for example, doesn't show up in this chapter even if it does here in the Upload Manager. Let me know if you can see all the lines! If not, all lines can be seen in other browsers like IE or Safari.)

**Skull-sama**: Thank you so much for the critique, I appreciate it! I went back and changed the "…" 's accordingly. :) What do you mean about the formatting? Was it just a browser error?

Disclaimer: The regular disclaimer applies.

* * *

Chapter 2: A Dinner Party

Alice Kingsleigh was naturally an awkward girl. However, she had never felt more awkward than she did at that moment.

It was the night of the Anniversary Dinner party, and Margaret had forced Alice into 'proper' attire for a formal dinner party. Alice was wearing not only a corset with stockings, but also a bold, red dress. According to Margaret, red was the "in-style" colour. She had said this as if that would change Alice's opinion.

Unfortunately, Alice Kingsleigh just didn't wear _red_, just like she didn't wear purple and yellow together - or corsets and stockings. She was simply doing this to make her sister happy on her special night.

Alice enjoyed wearing lighter colours: pastel colours. This usually meant soft blues, creams, perhaps a soft Easter yellow - but never red.

Alice crossed her arms over her chest, hard as rock beneath a very much unnecessary corset. Her long blonde hair was even tied up in a bun, not one strand of hair framing her pale face. She barely felt like herself.

"You should smile," said her sister, walking up to her and linking arms. "You look pretty when you smile."

"Do I look pretty trying to breathe without breaking a rib?" Alice countered, and Margaret laughed.

"Sorry to say that you do. Come now, it's time for dinner."

Alice walked with everyone to the large dining room of Lowell and Margaret's mansion, everyone taking their proper seats as the hired help gathered around them holding silver platters. Waiters went up to each individual and presented them with a small plate: the appetizer.

"Stuffed mushroom caps to start," her waiter said.

Alice looked up at him with a polite smile.

"Thank you."

The waiter placed the plate down in front of her, and Alice did a double take.

His eyes were bright green, slightly off-center, and his hair was a most peculiar shade of orange. It was short though, combed neatly through, and he was dressed in a waiter's suit.

"Do- do I know you from somewhere?" she asked, almost breathless. She could have sworn-

"Perhaps, and perhaps not," the waiter answered with a slightly strained, yet still polite smile. He tucked the tray to his chest and bowed deeply, in sync with the other waiters.

"Enjoy, miss, and I will be back to clear your plate when you are finished."

Alice sipped slowly at her wine between bites of food, and she chatted a bit with the girls beside her. Her gaze, however, kept traveling back to that curious waiter. He looked tired, with shadows under his eyes. She could remember a certain Hatter with orange stains around his eyes in almost the exact same place.

Alice lifted her elbow and gasped as she felt cold liquid splash her arm.

"Oop! No worries, it happens all the time."

Alice looked up as the waiter in question ran to her aid, equipped with a hand towel. He quickly and efficiently soaked up the offensive spilled water as a different waiter replaced Alice's now-empty glass with a full one.

"Thank you," she said as the waiter got up and draped the damp tower over his arm. She paused for a fraction of a second before speaking again.

"You're very quick. My name is Alice."

_Alice._

The waiter blinked, and opened his mouth to reply, but before he could, Alice heard a quiet tut and turned her head to see one of Margaret's home staff waving the waiter away.

"Forgive me, I must excuse myself."

"But what is your-?"

He was gone before she could even finish her question.

Alice watched him walk away, arms out to the side, feet picked up. He even _walked_ like…

But it couldn't be.

* * *

"_She_ is Margaret Gibbs's sister," the butler whispered, once they were pulled aside. "You are to be very careful about how you treat Miss Kingsleigh, yes?"

Tarrant nodded his head somberly.

"Yes, Mr. Whitman."

"Good. Do not linger and chatter; it is inappropriate for us to talk to those we serve for longer than necessary. They are here to have a good time. Just as well – we have work to do."

Tarrant Hightopp had been working in the Gibb Manor for about a month now.

Margaret Gibb had been window shopping with her husband Lowell when he had run into them those few weeks ago. Tarrant couldn't remember how he had gotten there, or where he was, but every person he tried to talk to had run away or sent him out of their shop. He had been hysterical, to say the least, to know nothing more of him but his name – if it really was his name. It was frightening to see his fingers orange stained one moment, then perfectly normal the next, if not a little pale. One moment he had a soft lisp and the next he had a Scottish accent. He didn't understand it. He knew nothing of it.

But then he had run into Margaret, quite literally. Lowell had yelled at him for trying to approach them and ask them if they understood what was going on, but Margaret shushed him and allowed Tarrant to tell his story to someone for the first time. Other than a name to go off of, he explained, he had nothing else. Was Tarrant even his real name? She, against the protests of her husband, had taken him back to their house, claiming she would do her best to help him.

"Are you telling me," she had said to Lowell during their argument, "That if you were on the streets with no memory of what happened to you whatsoever, you wouldn't want someone to take you in and help you?" Lowell grew silent. Margaret, afterward, offered Tarrant food, board, and even money in exchange for work until he remembered who he was, at which point he would be free to leave. He had no idea what money was, but he simply accepted the offer. If he didn't, what else would he do? At least here, he could stay in the Manor's guest house, where the rest of her staff resided. Margaret had him examined by a person called a 'doctor,' and not even he could help him find out what had happened or who Tarrant was. The doctor simply said he was suffering from a case of memory loss, though the reason was uncertain. The 'police' (another word he was foreign to) couldn't track any members of his family, either, during his background check. Tarrant couldn't remember or find out where he had come from.

Tarrant had been shown a wealth of kindness by Margaret, and it sort of reminded him of someone, but he couldn't put his finger on whom. This was not the way to repay her. For some reason, a certain woman with yellow hair plagued his dreams. They were not just any dreams, however. They were dreams that left him breathless upon awakening, often murmuring a name in that foreign Scottish accent.

_Alice._

Having taboo dreams in the home of the woman who had taken him in and helped him was one thing, but having taboo dreams about her apparent _sister_ was entirely different. Where did he know Alice from? And why, in God's name, did he dream about her if he had no idea who she was? All he knew was that as soon as he put that appetizer down in front of her, he had found the culprit of his dreams. It had been very hard to talk to her with such lascivious images in his head.

He glanced at her as he walked back out into the dining room, the entrée held steadily in his hands. He saw her look at him as he walked, and a sharp memory of his dream flashed before his eyes. He almost dropped the plate as a feeling rushed through his lower stomach, but he quickly recovered and placed it gracefully in front of her.

"Thank you," she said, those pink lips curved in a smile.

Tarrant nodded, that strained smile finding its way across his own mouth.

"My pleasure."

_If only you knew.  
_

_

* * *

_

Alice needed some air.

This waiter kept showing up everywhere she went. Not only had he been her waiter during the dinner, but wherever she went in Gibb Manor, he seemed to be there. After using the facilities, he was watering the plants at the other end of the hallway. When she was dancing with some of the bachelors at the party, he was clearing plates from the table nearby. And every time she saw this man, she thought of the Hatter and all of those she had left behind. The resemblance between the two was striking. She hadn't been to the hole since a month or so ago, when Margaret found her there, but she thought about returning to Underland all the time.

It was painful.

She carefully slid on her long coat over the dress, having the intention to walk through the forest by their manor. There was a nice lake not too far off, and though it was frozen over at this time of year, it was still very pretty. Alice walked several feet away from the manor before she reached up and let down her hair. It took a few pulls and the removal of several hairpins, but soon enough Alice's blonde hair fell over her shoulders, keeping them warm.

Alice walked, trying to clear her thoughts, but really, all the silence did was make them more pronounced. Without the polite chatter around her, she was free to think about Underland, and how much she missed the people there. As much as she wanted to be there, she knew she couldn't have stayed. There would be too much unfinished business in London. All that business was done now, perhaps she could return?

"Stop that, Alice," she scolded herself verbally, shaking her head. "You're not going back to Underland. You're going to stay in London, find an eligible bachelor, marry him, move out, and stop being a burden on mother."

Alice suddenly heard a small rustle, and she turned around abruptly.

"Who's there?"

She listened hard. All she heard for the next few moments was the whistle of the wind. After a suspicious look around, she slowly continued to walk, listening cautiously to her surroundings. With all of the twigs and leaves scattered across the ground, it would be hard to stay silent if she were being followed.

* * *

Tarrant had no idea what he was doing. All he knew was that he had to follow her. This Alice girl clearly meant something to him; every time he saw her, his stomach lurched and his heart fluttered. She always seemed to be looking at him. She had claimed that she felt like she met him before, but he had no idea where he had met her.

_Of course not,_ he thought. _You don't even remember where you came from. Why would you remember her?_

But he _did _recognize her from his dreams. He swallowed as he remembered the one from the previous night. Sure, he only had his dreams to go off of, but there was something odd about Alice tonight. Red didn't seem her colour, and he was certain she would be more at ease with her hair down. She had seemed a bit tense that night.

_Listen to me_, Tarrant thought, shaking his head. _Judging her as if I knew her before! As if I had some basis to go off of._

Wait. Perhaps he did. She had said she recognized him, had she not? But how could she know him, while her sister apparently had known nothing of him until that fateful day she welcomed him into her staff? No, he probably just looked like someone she had met before. She was much too upper-class for him. As grateful as he was for Margaret's kindness and hospitality, he felt like he didn't belong. The very things he enjoyed doing were scolded. He enjoyed making idle conversation, humming while working, and laughing, but the staff always shushed him, claiming they had to be polite and professional towards the Gibbs. He had heard one of the maids call him "off his rocker" when she thought he wasn't listening. He had been given a long speech about how to behave during this dinner._  
_

Tarrant paused as a twig broke beneath his shoe. He could hear Alice call out, and his eyes shut tightly as he debated speaking up or staying silent. He could hear a soft rustling shortly after, however, and realized that she had continued walking. He did as well, doing as best he could to stay silent.

It was several long, excruciating minutes as Tarrant followed the sound of Alice's footsteps. Eventually, though, they reached a clearing, and Alice stopped in front of a frozen lake. Tarrant watched her, and his eyes widened as she took a seat on the frost-dusted grass. Well, what a lady this Alice was. She was going to ruin her dress.

"_Twinkle twinkle, little bat._

_How I wonder where you're at._

_Up above the world you fly,_

_Like a tea tray in the sky."_

Tarrant listened to her voice as she sung to the nighttime, resisting the urge to giggle. It wasn't well trained or haunting, but it was, for lack of a better word, pure. He couldn't imagine Alice with any other kind of voice. If only he could just bring up the courage to speak to her…

Hold on - hadn't he heard that song before?

Tarrant peeked around the tree, only to see Alice looking right where he was standing. His eyes widened and he hid behind the tree trunk, his heart suddenly beginning to race. He had been spotted! He could hear the frozen blades of grass crunch beneath her feet as she stood.

"_Ah!_"

Tarrant furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and looked around the tree again. Had he just heard a splash? He was certain he'd heard _something_. He stumbled in surprise when he realized Alice wasn't where he had just seen her. He walked up to the vacant space in the grass by the lake, squinting into the darkness. If only he had an oil lamp of some kind-

"H-help!"

Tarrant turned to face the source of the sputtering voice, his eyes widening as he realized what had happened: there was a hole in the thin ice that froze over the lake, and a hand trying desperately to grasp at the surface, only succeeding in breaking off more of the fragile ice. Tarrant ran to the lake's edge, his eyes widening.

"Alice!"

* * *

**A/N: **So what's the verdict? Drop a review off and let me know! =3


	3. Impossible

Forget Me Not

Summary: "You won't remember me." "Of course I will, how could I forget?" The Hatter feared that Alice wouldn't remember him, but he never considered the possibility that he would forget Alice. AxH

**A/N: **I want to thank those who have been following me since Up From Wonderland, my first AxH fanfic. If it weren't for you guys I would have never considered writing this second one. And to those of you who have just joined me, I hope you're enjoying it! It's only the third chapter and I'm well over 200 subscribers! Much thanks, you guys :3

There is one AlicexHatter picture that inspired this chapter, but I am unable to link it because the Document Uploader auto formats it and messes it up. If you want to see it, send me a PM and I'll link it to you. :3

**Veritas Found**: I actually wasn't sure what Lowell's last name was. It isn't listed on imdb, and when I did a google search I couldn't find it. When watching the movie, I never once heard anyone mention his surname. Just Lowell. So I made up the last name. Where did you hear Manchester from?

**CazDefiesLogic**: I'm not sure which one, but imdb and the credits in the movie both say "Kingsleigh" so I'm assuming it is that. I said "Kingsley" in my last fanfic because I hadn't realized it was "Kingsleigh" until later. I'm just going with the movie credits on this one. xD

Disclaimer: I only own my OC's and this fanfic.

* * *

Chapter 3: Impossible

It was December, around nine o'clock in the evening. It wasn't cold in London.

It was _freezing._

Nevertheless, Tarrant Hightopp found himself shedding his waiter's uniform and tying one of the sleeves to the branch of a nearby tree. He shivered violently against the cold wind, but one glance at the struggling Alice was more than enough to give him strength.

Hanging onto the rope of clothing he had created, he leaned towards the lake and reached an arm in, the rope keeping him balanced and above the water. He bit his lip against the painfully low temperature of the lake. He could feel the ripples of the water brushing against his arm, sensing activity a bit further below.

"Alice!" he called again, just in case she could hear. He needed her to know that someone was there, attempting to help her. He couldn't feel her arm anywhere. He waited a moment, but soon realized she wasn't going to grab on. He released his clothing and drew closer to the lake's edge. He could do this, he assured himself. He could do this.

_Focus, Tarrant. On the count of three: one, two-_

He drew in a sharp breath and dipped his head into the lake's water, almost gasping and choking in shock. It felt like tiny, piercing icicles were stabbing at his skin, but he had to endure it. He held his breath, reaching and stretching his arm far into the abyss. His other arm clung tightly to the grass and the dirt, hoping it would be enough to keep him from falling into the lake.

Finally, he found her.

Tarrant's fingers locked with Alice's, just as cold as his own. He attempted to tug up, but did not succeed. Alice's form didn't budge.

_Her dress._

He recalled what she had been wearing that evening: a dark red dress, frilly, most likely with multiple skirts to keep it so voluminous. She had a corset as well, shoes, and that jacket of hers. She was weighed down by fabric.

Tarrant released her hand and drew breath after he resurfaced, gasping and sputtering for air. He was met with the cold breeze against his wet skin, but instead of lingering on it, he dove in completely, once he had gathered enough breath. He tried to open his eyes beneath the water, but it was completely dark. He couldn't see a thing. So he swam down, in the direction that he had felt Alice's hand grasp his, searching for her. Finally, wet fabric brushed against his hand.

He could barely believe he was risking his life for a girl he couldn't even _remember._

Tarrant ripped the fabric roughly, pulling Alice's form toward him and feeling for the buttons of her jacket. He ripped the buttons off and pulled it off of her figure. Unfortunately, Alice's arms were not moving with him. She was, most likely unconscious.

_Oh, God._

Tarrant inhaled water and coughed violently beneath the lake, more and more liquid forcing its way down his throat. His head grew heavy, consciousness hazy. Regaining some degree of control, he forced himself not to breathe in any more water, lest he drown. Chest physically hurting from the lack of oxygen, he kicked his legs with all his might, moving slowly but surely towards the surface. As he did, his arms worked to rip her dress, and soon he succeeded in tearing his way to her under skirts, covered by the corset. Thankfully, the layers were still enough to keep Alice decent. This was the best he could do. This was the most weight he could remove.

Somehow, by some miracle, his hand broke the surface of the water. The feat seemed impossible, but he couldn't give up. He pulled himself out and breathed in air, coughing heavily and fighting the urge to get sick upon the grass. His throat and his eyes stung, his limbs aching from effort. He pulled Alice onto the grass beside him as he shivered. Tarrant rubbed his eyes, looking down at her.

"A- Alice?"

Her eyes were shut, her skin pale. Tarrant threw on his shirt and his pants after untying them from the tree, taking comfort in their dryness, giving him some form of warmth. He then covered Alice in his vest and his thick coat, and ran, limping slightly, towards the manor. He shoved open the door of the guest house, closer than the actual manor itself. He couldn't do it anymore. It was too much. Alice, even only in her her under things, drenched, was too heavy at this point, and he was much too cold.

"T- _Tarrant!_"

Tarrant caught one glimpse of Mr. Whitman, Margaret's head butler, before fainting with Alice in his arms.

* * *

"Will they be all right?"

"Yes. Mr. Hightopp performed remarkably. He got back here before any of them had enough time to severely suffer from the hypothermia. If it were not for him, Miss Kingsleigh may not be here with us right now."

"You said you met this man on the streets, Margaret?"

"Yes, mother. I felt such pity, for it did not seem like he was lying; just a man driven half-insane, unable to remember anything but his name."

"That was quite a risk, Margaret. What if he were a killer?"

"It was a risk that led to him saving Alice's life, not taking it."

Alice's eyebrows furrowed as she listened to the voices around her. Her throat burned something fierce, and she couldn't even imagine trying to speak. Her eyelids opened by a slit, and she could see three figures chatting on the other side of the room: Margaret, her mother, and a medic.

Alice looked around. This was not Margaret's house, nor her mother's. It was all white, and her sheets were crisp. Was she in a hospital?

Slowly turning her head against the painful protests of her body, she spotted another figure in the bed across from her. That waiter, with bright orange hair, was fast asleep in his own bed. He looked so much like…

He couldn't be the Hatter, though, as much as he looked like him. Why would he be in London? And he didn't have the orange stains on his skin. If it weren't for his hair, or his eccentric eyes, he would be almost normal. Plus, the Hatter would remember her. He always did.

Just as well, what was the Hatter without a hat?

No, this "Mr. Hightopp" was not who she thought he was. She was just growing desperate, hoping to see any hint of Underland here in London. She wanted to return ever so badly. Hightopp was a common surname, right? It was very possible this man could just share the same name as the Hatter. Wasn't it?

"Who would have thought a mere butler would have such strength?" Alice heard her mother say. She took advantage of their obliviousness to her consciousness. She took a good look at her waiter from the dinner. The resemblance was uncanny.

Suddenly, his eyes opened.

He looked sleepy, and it was a most endearing expression. His green eyes landed on hers almost immediately, and he smiled. There was a slight gap between his front teeth. It was almost as if he knew Alice had been looking at him.

"_Hello_," he mouthed.

"_Hello,_" she mouthed back with a smile. Who was this man, exactly, and why was he here? Alice couldn't remember anything past walking through the forest.

"Alice!"

Alice looked up at the sound of her name, only to see Margaret and her mother rushing to her side. She glanced back at Tarrant, who suddenly looked as if he were asleep again.

"Oh my. Alice, how are you feeling?" Her mother kept her composure, looking down at her daughter with worry. Margaret, however, embraced her sister, and Alice managed a raspy laugh.

"I feel as though I have been run over by a carriage," she said, ignoring the pain in her throat.

"What- what happened? I just remember walking through the forest to clear my thoughts, and," Alice looked around once more. "All of a sudden, I'm here. Where am I?"

"You're in St. Peter's Hospital," the medic said, walking up to them. "It's good to see you, Alice. According to Mr. Hightopp over there, you fell into the lake."

"Only Alice could do such a silly thing," Margaret said affectionately, stroking her sister's cheek.

"He was going to ask you where you were going, but before he had the chance, you fell."

"Mr. Hightopp?" Alice repeated. "That man over there, he saved me?" The medic nodded.

"Yes. You're lucky he followed you, Miss Kingsleigh, or you may not have made it through the night."

_So I've heard._

"Has he woken up already, then?" she asked, and they all nodded again.

"He woke up yesterday, and after a few questions he fell asleep. He's been resting ever since."

"How long have _I_ been out?"

"A few days, but nothing to worry about. You've woken up once or twice, long enough to have a drink of water or respond to any physical tests. You most likely don't remember, though."

"When can I leave?" Alice asked, and the medic smiled at her eagerness.

"We'll watch over you for a couple more days, you'll have something to eat, and if things go smoothly, you will be out by the end of the week."

"We'll go out for dinner," Margaret said with a teary-eyed smile. "Celebrate my little sister's health while scolding her clumsiness."

Alice laughed.

"We'll bring along Mr. Hightopp, of course," Helen, the two girls' mother, said with a nod. "We have to thank him for what he has done. We were going to tell him when he woke up, but he's been sleeping the day away."

Alice glanced at Tarrant out of the corner of her eye, and could swear she saw a subtly crooked smirk forming at the corner of his lips.

* * *

The medic stayed true to his word, and both Tarrant and Alice were released at the end of the week. Tarrant was given the following week off of work to rest from his ordeal, but later that night, they all had reservations for a restaurant in downtown London - "they" being Margaret and Lowell Gibb, Alice and Helen Kingsleigh, and Tarrant Hightopp. They returned to their homes in the morning to prepare for the evening, and soon Tarrant found himself in an awkward carriage ride to the restaurant. Margaret was chattering away, thanking Tarrant between her excited stories about Alice (she as clearly very happy to have her sister alive and well), while Lowell stared gloomily out a window. He couldn't remember a time when he had ripped the dress off of an unconscious female and been praised for it.

Tarrant, of course, nodded politely and giggled in all the right places, but his mind kept drifting off to the small conversations he and Alice had shared in that semi-private, shared hospital room: how he reminded her of one of her dearest friends, and how she reminded him of someone he couldn't quite place. The taboo dreams left him alone only during his period of unconsciousness after rescuing Alice from the lake, returning at a most inconvenient time in the evening when Alice was still awake. He had woken, per usual, exclaiming her name at the very brink of his control, and Alice had glanced at him.

"What?" she had asked.

"Oh," he had said, wiping the sweat off of his brow and turning onto his side to hide the repercussions of the dream. "Sorry. I, erm, thought you were gone. But it's just dark in here."

It was a terrible excuse, but overcome with anxiety, he couldn't think of anything better. Fortunately Alice had laughed it off before they fell into silence again to try and sleep. He waited until she was completely asleep before falling asleep himself, fearing the dream would occur again.

"Tarrant!"

"Hmm?" He looked around for the source of the sound. Margaret was already standing outside of the carriage door.

"We're here."

"Oh!"

He hurried out of the carriage, his head bowed in slight self-consciousness.

"Mrs. Gibb, are you sure I am dressed well enough?" he asked, and Margaret laughed.

"I gave you those clothes, Tarrant, I assure you they are fine."

"I don't remember agreeing to let a butler wear my suits, Margaret," Lowell whispered in her ear, and Margaret smacked him playfully on the arm.

"Hush, Lowell, and do a good deed for once."

Alice and Helen stepped out of the carriage nearby, and Tarrant had to do a double take. Her blonde hair was softly curled that night, and she was dressed in a light blue dress. _Much better than the Anniversary Dinner, _he thought. She looked much more like Alice. If that made sense.

He didn't want to imagine the dream he was going to have that night, what with being fully aware of her how pretty she looked that evening. Margaret and Lowell joined Helen in the lobby of the restaurant, at the front of the group, while Alice and Tarrant lingered a few steps behind.

"You look very nice, Miss Kingsleigh, though I think I prefer the hospital gown," he whispered, and Alice giggled.

"What?" he asked, a smile overcoming his own face.

"Margaret got to you, didn't she?" she whispered back, and Tarrant looked down. He supposed the forest green suit was a little much, but it was better than his waiter's outfit – and his butler's outfit, come to that.

"Yes, she did, but I thought I would add my own personal touch." He showed her the hat he had been concealing beneath his arm. It was a top hat, and he perched it on top of his orange hair. Alice blinked a few times before she smiled.

"Hats look good on you."

Alice scolded herself for thinking, once again, that this Tarrant was her Hatter. He wasn't. If he were truly the Hatter, he would remember her. What purpose was there to pretend he had no idea who she was?

"Right this way, please," said one of the servers, and Helen nodded politely before they followed her through the restaurant. They were seated at one of the best tables in the restaurant, right by the orchestra and the dance floor. After ordering and engaging in polite discussion, Margaret and Lowell left to dance. Alice watched them, trying to catch Lowell eyeing some other girl. They seemed to be focused on each other, though.

"Mrs. Kingsleigh, may I be so bold as to ask your daughter to dance?"

Alice, surprised, looked to Tarrant, then to her mother. Helen held her wine glass to Tarrant in an almost toast-like manner.

"Be my guest, Mr. Hightopp." Her eyes followed the two of them to the dance floor.

Alice walked with Tarrant, placing one hand in his and the other on his shoulder.

"I don't dance well," she whispered, looking around uncomfortably to all of the dancing couples.

"I don't remember if I do," Tarrant said with a carefree shrug. Alice smiled, thinking back to the Futterwacken the Hatter had done all those years ago. She had not yet learned of his memory troubles, seeing as he had not shared them with her. Margaret hadn't told Alice, either; only Margaret, Lowell, and Helen knew. Not even the staff at Gibb Manor knew. They simply thought Tarrant was odd and forgetful.

"Why did you save me?" she asked, being quite direct. Tarrant shrugged uncomfortably.

"You needed to be saved."

"And why did you follow me?"

"I- Oh, I don't know. I thought perhaps..." he trailed off, trying to figure out how to word it properly. "I thought perhaps you were right, and I had met you somewhere before. I wanted to know from where. But I became curious as to where you were going. I was trying to sum up the courage to let you know I was there, but you fell before-"

"That was you?" she asked, interrupting. Tarrant smiled bashfully.

"I promise you my intentions were never less than good," he said. Alice nodded, and they lapsed into a few moments of silence, just enjoying the gentle sway of the dance to the music.

"Can I say something?" he asked, and Alice nodded again. "You look beautiful tonight. You just may be the most beautiful lady in this room." A blush crept to his cheeks, and he looked away after saying it. There was a strange innocence to his tone, as though he didn't realize the absurdity and forwardness of his words.

Alice laughed, shaking her head in denial.

"Impossible," she said. Tarrant looked at her.

"Only if you believe it is."

* * *

**A/N: **R&R for the next chapter!


	4. The Telltale Hat

Forget Me Not

Summary: "You won't remember me." "Of course I will, how could I forget?" The Hatter feared that Alice wouldn't remember him, but he never considered the possibility that he would forget Alice. AxH

**A/N: **So apparently Manchester was Lowell's last name? Is there anybody that has a site or proof towards this so I know for sure before changing the other chapters? XD I just want to be certain before editing everything. I've searched and haven't found anything. D: Thanks for all your help, guys! =D

I hope you aren't finding the fanfic boring so far. As a reward for R&Ring, here is Chapter 4! You know what to do for the next chapter. ;) Cookies to those who can pick out what line in here is a derivative from a song in a musical!

**themadhattress**: Thanks for the notes! I totally didn't realize, so I changed the spellings accordingly. You're right, I have no beta, so when I proof-read, my eyes often tend to glaze over certain things. Yes, my other fanfic is on here, Up From Wonderland, just get to my profile and it should still be on here. =) I didn't know how to spell Marmoreal correctly. I kind of just took a shot in the dark, so thanks for clearing it up for me xD

**Daydreaming-with-ink**: I haven't explained it, but I will in a later chapter. If you're observant, you may realize why after this one!

Disclaimer: I only own my OC's and this fanfic.

* * *

Chapter 4: The Telltale Hat

"_It's you."_

_Tarrant looked down into that much too familiar face, framed by blonde hair. They were standing by the fireplace in his bedchamber, and he was holding her in his arms._

"_It's always been you," she whispered to him. He felt her soft fingers brush against the skin of his arms, the both of them basking in the warmth of the fire._

"_I wish I had stayed," she said, and he could feel her breath tickling the base of his neck._

"_Me too," Tarrant found himself saying._

"_Deep down, I think I wanted you to chase after me, to find me."_

"_I lost you instead."_

"_You'll find me again," Alice whispered to him._

"_You could stay, then I don't have to find you," he whispered to her, and Alice smiled._

Tarrant thrashed violently in his bed, turning onto his side and clutching at his pillow as he dreamt.

_He could hear his voice echoing around him as the scene swirled into a multitude of dark, abnormal colours. Suddenly he was on a battleground, and Alice stood in front of him once again, this time in shining armor._

"_There are things I need to do. Questions I have to answer."_

_He watched as she swallowed down a curious purple fluid, the smile that was once on his face beginning to fade._

"_Be back before you know it," she said._

"_You won't remember me," he whispered, somewhat dejectedly._

"_Of course I will, how could I forget?"_

_He leaned forward with the slightest hint of a sigh. Sweet, naïve Alice: she had forgotten him before, and she could forget again._

"_Fairfarren, Alice."_

_She disappeared in a whiff of smoke, and he was left staring at nothing._

"_If you can hear," he whispered to where she had been standing, "May I just say how much I wish you had stayed?"_

_

* * *

_

Something was bothering Alice. Well, several things were bothering Alice, actually, and all of her questions revolved around Margaret's newest butler. She had spent the entire night after their dinner contemplating the possibilities. Could Tarrant be the Hatter she was thinking of? Was there a reason for the Hatter to be in London? If he was in London, how come he wasn't acknowledging her presence? If he wasn't the Hatter, how did he know so many of the Hatter's phrases?

After hours of torture and being unable to sleep, Alice finally decided that she would have to get to know this butler more before she made any rash judgments or accusations. That was how she found herself outside of Margaret's Manor the day after her return from the hospital. A very fatigued Tarrant opened the door and bowed, welcoming her to the Gibb Manor.

"I thought you had the week off to rest?" she asked him, and Tarrant rubbed his eyes.

"I do, I was actually about to head out for a stroll since I couldn't bring myself to sleep well last night. Perhaps a good stroll will help clear my thoughts."

_Sounds familiar,_ she thought to herself.

"Would you like to join me?" he asked. Alice nodded, and he shut the door behind him before beginning to descend the porch steps towards the garden. They walked in silence, side by side, and she could feel their arms and fingers brush occasionally. The sun was shining despite the chilly winter atmosphere, the soft winter breeze causing them to move closer to each other for warmth.

"Why didn't you sleep well?" Alice asked, and Tarrant slid his hands uncomfortably into his pocket.

"Bad dreams," he said.

"Same one every night?" she asked, eyeing the dark circles beneath his eyes. Tarrant shook his head.

"No, but they are similar. Except for last night. I had the usual dream, woke up, then when I fell asleep again, and it was… different. A lot worse." He glanced at Alice. _You left me._ For some reason, that had made him sad. At first his dreams were just terrible, vulgar nightmares that left him feeling guilty the following morning, but now he wondered if they had a point. Were his dreams linked to the key to fixing his memory loss? He could tell a doctor, but the embarrassment was too great. What if the doctor told Mrs. Gibb that he was fantasizing about her little sister?

"In the hospital," he said, changing the topic. "You told me I reminded you of someone. May I ask who?"

"It's a long story," Alice said.

"I have the time, if you want to share."

"And if I don't want to share?" she asked. Tarrant shrugged.

"Then you don't have to. But at least know that I am curious." They walked in silence again; it lasted for several long minutes, disturbed only by Tarrant eventually draping his coat over her shoulders.

"What are you doing? You must be freezing!" Alice's eyes widened in shock as she struggled to remove his coat. Tarrant chuckled and placed his hands over her shoulders to keep her still.

"If I can swim through a lake in nary but my undergarments to save you, I believe I can manage to walk without a coat. Your teeth are chattering, Miss Kingsleigh."

"Alice," she corrected.

Alice couldn't deny that she enjoyed the extra warmth, so she grasped at his coat and pulled it so it covered more of her shoulders. He smiled at her co-operation before leaning against one of the nearby trees.

"He's a Hatter," Alice said suddenly. Perhaps she could spark his memory.

"Sorry?" Tarrant glanced at her.

"The man you remind me of. He actually… it's funny. He has the same name as you: Tarrant. He makes hats for the White—" Alice shook her head quickly. "He makes hats for royalty, and he wears the most eccentric clothing. Loves tea with a passion. He helped me out a lot, too. Saved my life, just like you did. Rambles, just like you did sometimes in the hospital." She smiled to herself at the memory of the Hatter. Tarrant watched her curiously, noticing that the more she spoke, the further away she turned her face from him.

"I miss him a lot," she said. Her hand reached up to wipe at her eyes, and Tarrant instinctively took a step towards her.

"Alice," he whispered. "Are you all right?"

"Yes," she lied, forcing a soft laugh amongst the lightly shed tears. "I'm fine. Really. I just- it's been a while since I've seen him. And when I met you, it was just… it was a lot to handle. Which is silly, since you're obviously not him, and I-"

She abruptly stopped talking, feeling Tarrant's arms wrap around her. Alice tensed, wondering exactly how she should react. Sure, this man had saved her life, but she barely knew him. Yet here he was, hugging her as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Have you ever considered things that begin with the letter M?" he asked. Alice looked up at him.

"What?"

"Happy things. Things that make you feel better: 'Merriness,' 'miracles,' 'magic-'"

"Madness," Alice said suddenly with a small smile, lost in her memories. "That's what they called him: The Mad Hatter."

The image of a dilapidated tea table suddenly flashed through his mind. _What was that? _He winced slightly. Alice didn't notice.

"You sound just like him," she said. "You remind me so much of him. You intrigue me, Tarrant, but at the same time it's almost depressing to be around you. You remind me of the person I miss the most."

Tarrant realized that Alice had stopped tearing up, yet he was still holding her. He made a move to release her, but her arms wrapped around him, and an odd warmth rushed through his body.

"No, wait," she said with a small smile. "I never said it was completely a bad thing. Just… stay here a little while longer." There was something comforting about the way he held her.

"Why do you miss him so much?" he asked quietly, and Alice shrugged.

"He was a great friend."

"Perhaps you are contemplating words that start with the letter 'L?'" he teased.

"My goodness," she said, laughing and shaking her head in denial. "You are so much like him."

* * *

Alice had let a little part of Tarrant into her world. Years after not speaking of Underland or anyone she had met, she had finally told someone. She had told someone she didn't know fully, yet she somehow trusted completely. She had told Tarrant of the Hatter. They became fast friends after that, spending almost his entire break off work together. Winter faded into Summer, and each time they saw each other, they revealed a little more about themselves without giving away too much. Alice still kept Underland a secret, and Tarrant still hid his dreams and his memory loss from Alice. Everything else was shared, everything else became a story; it was a beautiful friendship, and Alice soon forced herself to drop the subject of the Hatter. Tarrant was Tarrant, and nobody else. It was enough, she decided, to just honor her memory of the Hatter and share it with him.

"Tarrant?" She knocked on the door of his bedroom, and it opened at the force of her hand. Curious, Alice peeked into the room, spotting him napping beneath his sheets. She smiled to herself, thinking that she would go and visit with her sister Margaret for a while when-

"A-Alice."

Her heart skipped a beat and she looked into his room again. There was a troubled look on Tarrant's sleeping face. He said her name again.

Against her better judgment, Alice silently walked into his bedroom and softly shut the door behind her. She looked around: it was a most ordinary bedroom, with a lamp, a dresser, a bed, and a closet. He almost didn't seem right in here, his tousled orange hair standing out against the scene. Upon a closer look, she noticed that he was sweating, and he tossed and turned every few minutes. Alice rested a hand on his shoulder, and he reacted, reaching up to place his hand over hers. She glanced at his face; his eyes were still closed, and he was still asleep.

"Tarrant?" she whispered. "Tarrant, wake up. You might be having a bad dream agai-"

Alice caught sight of his closet, partially open. A leather bound book was on the floor, sticking out, a strange, dark fabric overtop of it. She looked back to Tarrant, who was still breathing heavily. Slowly sliding her hand away from his, she made her way over to his closet and kneeled in front of it, very carefully opening it all the way. It creaked just a tad, but Tarrant continued to nap.

Alice knew she was invading his privacy, but she was just so curious! He could be so secretive sometimes, that Tarrant, and a part of her wanted to know what he was hiding. It was wrong, she knew, to be looking through his belongings without his permission, but when Alice's curiousness took hold, she had to satisfy it. She started with the book and flipped to the first page.

_"Day 1_

_This 'doctor' wants me to keep a daily log. He says if I do, it may eventually help me spark my memory in some way. I don't enjoy writing. It hurts my wrist."_

Alice furrowed her eyebrows at the short entry and flipped several pages ahead. What was this about memory?

_"Day 48_

_I am back from the 'hospital.' What a funny word. I thought the dreams had left me, but they came back after one night's peace. Alice was there, of course, seeing as she and I shared the same hospital room. I almost had a heart attack. I don't enjoy keeping secrets from her, but this is for the best."_

Alice continued flipping forward.

_"Day 65_

_I spent the day with Alice again. It's getting warmer out there. I thought I saw a purple cat today, but it was just a trick of the sun. It turned out to be the maid's watering can. No luck with my memory, though I did see the doctor. He said it was good I wasn't forgetting anything, but it would be hard to regain my memory from before. I'm happy Mrs. Gibb took me in, knowing all of this. I wonder where I would be now if she hadn't."_

Alice flipped to the most recent entry in the book, her heart pounding.

_"Day 83_

_I may not be regaining my lost memories, but at least I am creating new ones. I wonder if I knew Alice before I lost my memory. Alice told me yesterday that the Hatter wore a funny hat, and it's so strange. I think I have the exact same hat in my closet."_

Alice gasped quietly and dropped the book as she heard Tarrant murmuring. She glanced at him as he rolled over in his bed, slumbering on. He was having dreams, that much she knew, though she had no idea what about. But he had lost his memory? Margaret had taken him in, and _knew_ that he had no recollection of anything that happened before she did? Why hadn't either of them told her? She saw Margaret for an hour every time she came to visit Tarrant. Her sister knew she spent a lot of time with him, and Tarrant himself had never told her! Why? What was the reason?

'…_the exact same hat in my closet.'_

Alice looked up at the closet. In it hung freshly pressed butler and waiter uniforms, one for every day of the week. Nothing out of the ordinary, not even very many normal leisure clothes. Her eyes scanned the entire closet, looking for some clue, when finally she spotted a large box pressed into the corner. Almost hungrily, Alice pulled the lid off of the box and looked in. Dark green pants, an auburn, tattered jacket, cravats and bow ties all filled the box. After some shuffling, Alice could hear her heart pounding as she pulled something out.

In her hands, she held a frayed, slightly burnt top hat, the fraction ten-sixths tucked into the pink ribbon.

"Alice!"

Alice couldn't help but shriek in shock as she heard someone yell, and she dropped the hat. It was a most agonized sound, and it was the most pained she had heard anyone say her name. Had- had her name been yelled in a brogue? She heard a rustle of bed sheets.

"Wh- what are you doing?!" Tarrant exclaimed.

Suddenly Alice found herself pressed against the wall by the closet, warm, bare limbs trapping her on either side. He kicked both the book and the hat back into the corner of the closet.

"T- Tarrant!"

His eyes were tired, per usual, but Alice finally found the proof she needed:

They were no longer green. They were yellow. He was wearing nothing but pants, his chest heaving with every heavy breath. Something hard brushed against her thigh, but she didn't have time to dwell on it. His eyes had turned orange, a bad sign.

"Y- you're-" she tried to say, but he was glaring. His Scottish accent was whispered into her ear. No, it wasn't a memory, he was real! The Mad Hatter was right _here_, in front of her!

"What do yeh think yer doin', goin' through my things? 'ow much did yeh see, Alice?"

"Hatter!" she exclaimed desperately.

Tarrant's eyes flickered back to green, and his expression faltered. He bowed his head.

"I'm fine. Wait- what did you call me?"

"Hatter!" Alice brought him into a tight embrace, and Tarrant's expression softened, his arms, once trapping her, now wrapping around her small form.

"What are you talking about? I'm not-"

"But you are! You're Tarrant Hightopp, from Wonder- Underland! You are Hatter to the White Queen, friend to the March Hare, the Dormouse, the White Rabbit, and the Cheshire Cat! You head a tea party that celebrates unbirthdays, and- your hair is orange from the mercury when you work at your trade!"

The shadows under Tarrant's eyes flickered orange before reverting back to grayish purple circles. His hair had even gone up one vibrant shade of orange before dimming again.

"What?"

"I knew it was you! I just, I couldn't believe it! But why are you here?! Hatter, it's really you, isn't it?"

Tarrant released Alice, but she kept a hold of him, jumping slightly where she stood. Various images were flashing through his mind: a grinning cat, a white mouse, a teacup being thrown at his head…

"Hatter, don't you remember me?"

Tarrant looked down at her, and Alice finally saw that look upon his face: that lost look, that half-mad, innocent look he often had after being stopped from his dangerous rambles. No longer the butler to the Gibb Manor, no – he was a Hatter to the White Queen, and Alice knew it for certain this time.

"I don't understand," he finally managed to say, eyeing her eager expression.

"You're coming with me. Put on a shirt, Tarrant, and I'll show you the way home."

Against his many protests, Tarrant threw a shirt on before following her out to Margaret's carriages. Alice immediately hopped in, told the driver to head to Lord Ascot's mansion, and once Tarrant was inside, they were off. He was still confused, and looked very lost as he sat in the carriage. Alice had the top hat sitting in the seat beside her.

"Why didn't you tell me you couldn't remember anything?" she asked him, and Tarrant shrugged.

"It's not something you exactly want to tell people," he said.

"The Hatter I know wouldn't be afraid of telling me something like that," Alice countered boldly, and Tarrant shrugged.

"I'm not the Hatter you know, am I?"

"You are. I'll prove it," Alice said. "You've simply lost your muchness."

"My what?"

Alice laughed and they rode through the rest of the journey in silence. Tarrant fidgeted a lot, clearly not comfortable with what had just happened. Not only had Alice been there _again _after one of his dreams, but she had seen him half-naked, with an-

He swallowed. She had seen him right after waking up from a very provocative dream. He wondered if she had seen – felt – anything? And just how much of his journal did she read? What did she find in the closet that she found so fascinating?

"We're here!" He heard her say some time later, and a very dazed Tarrant followed the eccentric girl through the gardens. He had to run, eventually, to keep up with her, and soon they came across a tall tree, far from Lord Ascot's mansion.

"Where are we, exactly?" he asked between heavy breaths, coming up the hill. He spotted Alice staring at the roots of the tree, where little blades of grass were growing.

"What's wrong?" he asked. Alice couldn't believe it.

They had filled in the rabbit hole that led to Underland.

* * *

**A/N: **So? Did you spot the line from a song in the musical? :D R&R for the next chapter!


	5. The Madder Hatter

Forget Me Not

Summary: "You won't remember me." "Of course I will, how could I forget?" The Hatter feared that Alice wouldn't remember him, but he never considered the possibility that he would forget Alice. AxH

**A/N: **So apparently, Up From Wonderland was nominated for some sort of monthly poll. Thanks to whoever recommended it! If you want to vote for it, paste http:// thereadershavechosen. eternflame. com/ forum/ index. php? topic= 1602.0 into your bar and take out the spaces.

I want to apologize for getting this up so late, especially after such a cliffhanger. I had a final project due and two final exams. I should be back on my one-chapter-per-day schedule now, though. :) I hope you enjoy!

**themadhattress**: I don't even notice when I use the slang. Sorry, I went back and edited it. I miss stuff like that all the time, so thanks for pointing it out. Modern-time slang is never intentional, I promise you xD And I hope Up From Wonderland meets your standards. :B

**Daydreaming-with-ink**: You got it. :)

Disclaimer: I only own my OC's and this fanfic.

* * *

Chapter 5: The Madder Hatter

"This can't be happening." Alice and Tarrant were sitting on a picnic blanket on the grass, back in Gibb Manor's garden. It had been a couple of hours since Alice's discovery of the filled in rabbit hole, and to be honest, Tarrant didn't know what to make of her reaction. She was shocked speechless. She looked as though she were on the verge of tears.

"I still don't understand," Tarrant said with a frown. "What's so terrible about filling a hole?"

"Too many things," Alice replied, closing her eyes. A few moments passed in silence before Tarrant finally spoke up.

"Alice, what is this Underland?"

"Sorry?"

"You said I was from a place called Underland. I'm curious."

Alice debated telling him everything in detail: the place he was from, the people he knew… but why? There was no chance they were getting back down there now. Maybe there had never been a rabbit hole beneath the tree. Perhaps it had just been an ordinary hole that the caretakers had filled in, in order to plant some more grass. Perhaps it was all in her head, and had never existed. Alice had been trying to deny her place in Underland for a long time, but she couldn't anymore. She wiped a tear from her eye. She missed it terribly, and now she could never go back. That one question that had been plaguing her mind for the past several years resurfaced: _What if I had stayed?_

"Nevermind, Tarrant," she said softly. "It seems I was wrong. There is no Underland."

* * *

Tarrant mentioned Underland to the doctor the next day. He mentioned that there was a possibility that he had known Alice before he lost his memory. The doctor, however, sent him an odd look, claiming there was no such place called 'Underland.' But why would Alice be upset over a place that never existed? How could he come from a place that never was?

Alice didn't come and see him the next day, or the next. By the third day he was almost positive she was avoiding him. Strangely, it didn't bother him. It was almost as though he were used to waiting for her. He just wished she would visit him sooner rather than later. He had so many questions he wanted to ask her, not to mention his dreams grew wilder with every passing day. The shadows under his eyes, he often noticed when he looked into his mirror, flashed orange for a split second. It scared him. He had no idea what was going on. There were articles of clothing in his closet, in a box, that Alice had discovered a few days ago. Every time he would sift through them, or touch that dratted hat, images would fly into his head. Tea table, talking animals…

Perhaps Alice knew of these things?

He was just getting off of his shift when he returned to the guesthouse. He pet a fat, purple cat on the way, and Tarrant had the strange notion that the cat was grinning. His mind was playing tricks on him again. Cats couldn't grin; he was just tired. He was going to take a good look through that box and see if he could get any more clear images to bring to Alice when he saw her next, though, before he took his nap. He walked towards his room, only to find a man dressed completely in black standing in front of it. Margaret and Lowell were standing at the other end of the hallway, talking to another man dressed in black. Tears were in Margaret's eyes.

"Are you Tarrant Hightopp?" asked the man standing in front of his door. Upon inspection of his badge, Tarrant realized he was an officer. What was going on?

"Yes, I am."

"I have a couple of questions to ask you."

"All right," he said, somewhat cautiously.

"When was the last time you saw Alice Kingsleigh?"

"Perhaps three days ago," Tarrant said. "Why do you ask?" The man ignored his question.

"What were you doing with Miss Kingsleigh at the time?"

"We had lunch."

"Where?"

"In the garden, on a picnic blanket."

"Mmhmm. Would this be the picnic blanket you are referring to?" Tarrant watched as the officer pulled a checkered cloth out of his pocket. The light colours of the fabric were doused in dried blood. Tarrant held his breath.

"Yes, that's the one. But-"

"Tarrant Hightopp, you are the prime suspect of the abduction of Alice Kingsleigh. You have the right to remain silent, anything said will be used against you in court tomorrow. Until then you will stay in the Detention Center and-" He watched as a pair of silver handcuffs was pulled out of the man's pocket, and Tarrant stared at it for a moment.

Then he ran.

"Oi! _Stop him!_"

Tarrant ran. He picked up his feet, held his arms out to the side, and ran. He had no idea what they were talking about, and frankly, had never been more confused in his life. Alice hadn't been abducted. She was just avoiding him! Alice couldn't be missing or hurt, she just couldn't be! He hadn't had any idea what to do when the officer pulled out those handcuffs. He only knew he didn't want to be arrested, so he just... ran.

He could hear yells and shouts as he ran out towards the forest. One glance over his shoulder told him that about four police officers were chasing him down.

Tarrant kept running. He ran as fast as his legs would go, and though he had the will, he did not have the strength. A few minutes later, he found his heart pounding, his breath run out, and he collapsed against a tree. He could still hear the shouts of the men pursuing.

_I give up,_ he thought to himself. He couldn't breathe.

"No, no, this won't do at all."

Tarrant jumped.

"Who said that?"

"Me, stupid, or are you blind?"

Tarrant's eyes landed on the butterfly on his shoulder.

"Excuse me?"

"You don't look like yourself, Tarrant. What have they done to you up here?"

He stared at the butterfly with wide eyes. It was… talking.

"Wh-wh-" before he could even begin to ask what was going on, he heard the cries of the officers. They were entering the forest. Tarrant winced, holding his arms out in front of him like a shield, waiting for his capture. To his surprise, they ran right past him and kept going. It was as though he were invisible.

"My goodness, you don't look anything like yourself."

Tarrant looked at the butterfly.

"Don't look at me," it said. "I didn't say that."

A cat's head appeared out of thin air in front of Tarrant's face, and he fought the urge to yell in surprise.

"You're the cat that- that I-"

"I thought you were just playing around. I didn't think you actually didn't recognize me," the cat said with an exaggerated pout.

"Then you just began to walk away. From one of your closest friends! My, my, Tarrant, just imagine the hurt I am experiencing right now. Yet I still hid you from the London men that are out for your blood. You ought to thank me, you know. It's only proper."

"Who – who are you?!" he exclaimed, looking wildly back and forth between the two.

"I am Absolem," said the butterfly with dignity.

"I am Chessur," said the Cat. "Don't forget this time."

"A-Alice," Tarrant stuttered. "I need to talk to Alice. She said-"

"You want Alice?" Chessur interrupted with a grin. "Oho. You'll have to come get her, then."

"Where is she?" Tarrant asked, his eyebrows suddenly furrowing in worry.

"In Underland. Where else?" Absolem said. Tarrant shook his head.

"This can't be happening," he found himself saying, repeating Alice's words. Animals didn't talk!

"What is he, the Madder Hatter now? He doesn't have a clue what's going on. He's mad, but not in a good way. He's so mad he's… _normal_," said Chessur with a slight frown.

"He's certainly not _our _Hatter," agreed Absolem. Tarrant stared at the two of them with his worried, green eyes. Chessur sighed.

"Well, go on, take your pick," said the Cat, and Tarrant blinked.

"What pick?"

"You can either stay here with _them_," the Cat nodded in the direction of the furious officers. "Or you can go to Underland. Alice is in a bit of a pickle, you see, and could use some help. Even if it _is_ from the Madder Hatter."

Tarrant watched as the Cat's paw appeared, holding out a small, blue flower: a Forget-Me-Not. Tarrant glanced at the officers, still looking through the forest. Finally, he leaned in, and the floral scent overwhelmed his senses. All of a sudden, everything began to grow dark around him, colours whirling about. Chessur and Absolem began to fade. Just before they disappeared, though, the Cat grinned and tossed him something. Tarrant caught it deftly in his arms.

"Don't forget this."

Tarrant yelled as a sudden force knocked him off of his feet.

"We'll see you soon, _Hatter_."

Voices echoed around him, but soon the room stopped spinning. Tarrant, dizzy, attempted to get to his feet, only to fall over again. He took a few moments to regain his composure, and when he did, he took a good look at the object in his hands. It was that same hat from before, with the pink ribbon, charred slightly at the rim. The fraction ten-sixths was written on a card.

"Silly, silly, Hatter."

Tarrant looked up, and he saw a tall woman, slender in figure and pale in complexion. Everything about her was white, save for her eyebrows, which were a dark brown.

"I told you to only drink one drop, did I not? Now look at you."

The woman walked up to him, ever so gracefully, and she handed him a vial full of burgundy coloured liquid.

"Drink up," she said with a smile.

He didn't know why, but he trusted this woman. So he drank.

Nothing happened.

"I am Mirana, ex-Queen of Underland."

_Ex?  
_

"Do you remember me now, Tarrant Hightopp? Have all your memories floated back?"

Tarrant paused.

"No."

Mirana looked taken aback, her gentle, confident air diminished.

"What?"

"I have no idea who you are," he said, and Mirana held a hand to her chest. She looked surprised.

"Alice told me you had lost your memory," she said softly. "I did not think it would be this bad. If the salves of Underland can't help you..."

"Alice is here?" he asked, and Mirana paused.

"She was here but a few days ago," she said.

"And what of her now?" asked Tarrant. Mirana looked away.

"She has been taken."

* * *

**A/N: **Don't you worry, the Hatter will regain his muchness soon! The personality you all know and love will return. xD Per usual, R&R for the next chapter, and let me know what you think! :)


	6. Finally

Forget Me Not

Summary: "You won't remember me." "Of course I will, how could I forget?" The Hatter feared that Alice wouldn't remember him, but he never considered the possibility that he would forget Alice. AxH

**A/N: **Cookies to **Apolianne** who got the line from chapter 4! "If you can hear, may I just say how much I wished you had stayed?" It was a derivative from Legally Blonde the Musical's line, "If you can hear, can I just say how much I want you to stay?" I know what lots of you are thinking:"What? Legally Blonde _the Musical?_" I'm a broadway person, and I was surprised to find that their music was actually pretty catchy. If you haven't yet, give it a chance!

I'm glad that everyone is enjoying the story so far. I must say I'm surprised; what with this being my second Alice/Hatter fanfic, I didn't expect this to be so well received. I think I messaged everyone who wanted the picture from Chapter 3; if I missed you, let me know! R&R for the next chapter!

**themadhattress: **In response to your review for Up From Wonderland, I did notice Chessur's name was still "Chester" in Chapter 3; Unfortunately, I don't have the document anymore and it's no longer in my upload manager so I have no way of editing it! ):

Disclaimer: I only own my OC's and this fanfic.

* * *

Chapter 6: Finally

Alice, at this point, knew of only a few things:

One: She was alone.

Two: She was in Underland.

Three: Her entire body ached.

The room was dark and the bed she laid on was cold. Looking down at herself, she could see no signs of struggle or injury. There were no bruises, there was no blood; in fact, Alice looked perfectly normal.

But why did she feel such pain?

The image of a man, skin as blue as the ocean, flashed in front of her eyes: her captor. She had been resting on the picnic blanket as Tarrant left for his shift at her sister's home. After that, she remembered nothing; she had simply woken up, caught sight of the frightened White Queen for but a second, and then fell unconscious again. She heard people talking once in a while, often while she was asleep. Nothing quite made sense, but she was able to pick out the name "King Vlakobeth" over and over.

The day after she had first truly awoken, her blue captor walked into the room. Alice was already lying on this bed. His smile was kind, his skull bare. Not a hair upon his head, save for his eyebrows.

"Are you familiar with Underland politics, love?" Alice stared at him. Did he really expect a response?

"That day you slayed the Jabberwocky: _Frabjous Day._ That was the day the two fighting rulers of Underland came together and sent a champion to fight in their honor, am I correct?" Without waiting for a response, he continued. "Well, I challenged our former queen to that very same battle, except of course, it was _not_ on _Frabjous Day _and without you there…" a beautiful grin touched his face.

"I won. I am Vlakobeth, King of Underland. How lovely it is to have you here, Alice, former Underland Champion. My home is your home. I trust your goodbyes to the ex-Queen were satisfactory?"

With that assumption, he stood and left the room. Alice had been alone ever since; she couldn't even remember saying any goodbyes to the White Queen. Clearly this man had an ulterior motive, but what? Was he the reason behind the Hatter's memory loss?

A twinge of hurt stabbed at her heart as she thought of him. The Hatter hadn't remembered her. He had forgotten who she was._ Is this what he felt like_, Alice thought, _when I left him?_ It bothered her so much, though she wasn't sure why. The two of them were on civil terms, sure, but he just wasn't _him._ He wasn't even _almost _him. Tarrant wasn't the Hatter, he was just… Tarrant.

"_Alice!_"

Alice jumped slightly, sitting up in her bed. She felt extremely heavy, and had no will to move any further. Had someone just whispered her name?

"Here, Alice!"

Her head slowly turned to face the window. Her eyes widened when she saw who it was.

"T-Tarrant?"

He hopped through the open window and smiled at her. Alice took a good look at him. He still wore his suit from London, his hair was still combed, no orange stains anywhere on his skin. Most obvious, and most painful to see, was the lack of hat upon his head.

"Alice, I'm so glad to see you're all right."

"How are you in Underland?" she asked, and Tarrant bit his lip.

"A cat and a butterfly helped me."

Alice's expression fell into one of relief. Absolem and Chessur were here. All of her doubts from the past were gone. Underland existed; it was real! Her friends were all still here!

"Come, let's get you out of here."

"No," Alice said, her eyes widening. "What if they realize I'm gone and come looking for us?"

"Then we run," Tarrant said. Hey – it had worked the first time.

Tarrant reached for her hand, but before he could even touch her, Alice screamed in pain. Tarrant withdrew his hand instantly, as though he too had been hurt. He had a sudden image: Alice, in a suit of armor, being shoved to the ground by a large, reptilian-like tail.

"What?!" he exclaimed, heart suddenly pounding. Alice's eyes closed tightly.

"I- I don't know, but it hurt. I can barely move. Try again."

Tarrant obeyed, and reached his arms towards her in hopes of pulling her off the bed. Alice writhed in pain, and Tarrant stepped back, closing his own eyes and shaking his head. The image of a courtyard in flames and ruin suddenly appeared.

"_Tarry! Help!"_

"_Neenie! Grab my hand, I'll-"_

The high-pitched scream of a nine-year old girl, similar in features to Tarrant, pierced his ears.

"What- what is that?" he asked, shaking his head violently from side to side, trying to rid himself of the scream. Alice shook her head; she had no idea what it was. All she had figured out was that this was why she was in such pain. Someone else must have tried to rescue her before, and failed. This barrier around her must be the source of all her aches, the source of her lack of will to move. She wasn't sure how it worked or what it did, but clearly it affected the both of them. She raised her gaze to Tarrant, whose eyes were still closed.

"Alice, don't scream," he said between grit teeth. Tarrant braced himself and shoved his arms past the invisible barrier. He could feel Alice's body tense and writhe as he slid his arms beneath her. Thousands of images and hundreds of voices ensnared his senses. He closed his eyes tightly, trying to block it all out. One solitary voice, however, cut through him.

_You could stay._

Tarrant yelled loudly and pulled Alice off of the bed. She was heavy at first, almost exceedingly so, but the closer he brought his arms to himself, the lighter she became. He took several steps back, shaking his head to rid himself of his pathetic voice.

_You could stay_, he could hear himself saying. _You could stay._

"Tarrant," Alice whispered, but Tarrant shook his head.

"No!"

He ran. He clutched Alice to his chest and hopped out of the window. He found himself running just like he had a few hours ago, from the London police. Physical exhaustion was ignored; he just kept running. He had to.

Eventually, his adrenaline waned. A good distance from the castle, Tarrant collapsed and released Alice. He began to breathe heavily, almost retching behind a tree. Alice, still a tad weak from being behind the barrier for so long, crawled up to where he lay on the grass.

"Tarrant?" she reached a hand out to touch his shoulder, but he sharply recoiled.

"Why did you leave?!"

Alice's heart skipped a beat at the question.

"What?" she whispered. Tarrant looked up at her; she had never seen an expression so agonized in her entire life.

"You _left!_ I waited for _so _long and you still left." He drew in a deep breath, and Alice felt her heart break. Tarrant sat upon his knees, wiping the sweat from his forehead. He had put himself on the line, made himself vulnerable, and asked her to stay. She hadn't.

"Tarrant, do you remember-?" Alice tried to ask, but she jumped back as his eyes flashed orange.

"Everyone leaves," he muttered, brogue taking over. "No one cares for Tarrant Hightopp, the las' member o' the Hightopp clan. He's left all alone, all by himself. No one-!"

"Hatter. That's enough."

Alice relaxed as Chessur appeared. His usually grinning face was serious, his ears pointed and alert.

"What's happening?" Alice asked, and Chessur glanced at her.  
"You were behind a _Memoiria_. It's a barrier that only the strongest wizards can conjure. It forces anyone who penetrates it to relive their worst memories - except for the one who conjured it, of course. Absolem and I tried to bring you back to the White Queen's castle, but we couldn't get past it. Neither of us, ah, had the strength to push past." Alice wondered just how dark Chessur's past had been. How had he become the Cheshire Cat?

"Why could Tarrant, then?" asked Alice, glancing at the man who was still trying to recapture his breath.

"We thought that since he had forgotten his memories, he would be the one who could penetrate the barrier," Chessur explained. "Unfortunately, we knew the risks. He may have forgotten his memories, but it's not as though they were completely erased. We just hoped it wouldn't affect him."

"But it did," Alice said, and Chessur nodded grimly.

"Unfortunately, the barrier forced the Hatter to remember the memories better left forgotten."

"Does he remember anything else?" she asked.

"I'm not sure yet. The White Queen will be able to tell, and may be able to do something now that she had certain memories to work with. We should return as fast as possible."

"But Vlakobeth," Alice protested. "He'll find out."

"We already have you," Chessur said, finally assuming that trademark grin. "They'll have to get through us to take you again."

Tarrant stayed silent for the rest of the journey, his eyes flashing from green to orange every few minutes as he struggled with internal monologue. Chessur made a remark or two to keep him from becoming violent , fluffing his tail against Tarrant's cheek.

"Will he ever calm down?" she asked the Cat, and he cocked his head from side to side in careful consideration.

"Of course. He's kind, the Hatter, he just hasn't had the most pleasant past. The White Queen will give him something, and we'll see just how much of his memories have returned."

"Why do you still call her the White Queen?" Alice asked curiously. "She is no longer Queen of Underland."

"You seem to have forgotten that we still called her the White Queen when her sister was in rule," the Cat drawled. "No matter what, Mirana will always be the White Queen."

"Why did the new ruler take me?" Alice asked.

"You're special here in Underland, Alice," he said, floating in front of her as she walked. "You are different from the creatures here. For some reason, the Oraculum had prophesized that you and only you would be the one to kill the Jabberwocky. You are the Champion, and it is written in our destiny. Perhaps this Vlakobeth knows something that we do not."

He grinned.

"Perhaps you will once again be told what you must do and who you must be."

* * *

Alice found herself on the balcony later that night, staring out towards a waterfall. She had borrowed a nightgown from the White Queen, although she was not using it well. She was supposed to be sleeping, but too much was on her mind. From worrying for her family to wondering if the Hatter would ever be the same, she could not muster up the strength to turn off her thoughts and sleep.

Upon their arrival, the White Queen had taken Tarrant into one of the rooms of the castle. Neither of them had been seen since then, and Alice tried to distract her worry by catching up with everyone else. It seemed everyone was staying with the ex-Queen in her castle. She had supper with the Tweedles and the White Rabbit, tea with the Dormouse and March Hare, dessert with Chessur, and so on. She had seen almost everyone, including Bayard and his family. The one person she had failed to see was the true Hatter.

"I think it's about time I said a proper hello, don't you?"

Alice glanced over her shoulder to the figure emerging from the shadows. In the moonlight, she could see eccentric orange hair, green eyes, and, finally, orange-stained skin. His top hat was perched ceremoniously on his head, and Alice turned to face him. They watched each other for several moments, Alice carefully considering him.

"Why is a raven like a writing desk?" she finally asked, a smile playing at her lips. He took a step closer to her, and Alice saw that unmistakable, Hatter smile on his face.

"I haven't the slightest idea," he answered, just as he had all those years ago.

He was back.

Alice wrapped her arms tightly around Tarrant's – no – the _Hatter's_ midsection. After a moment, he wrapped his arms around her, too. Alice felt a wave of relief wash over her.

"I waited for you," he whispered to her. She looked up to him, quirking her brow.

"I waited for you, too. You couldn't remember me."

The Hatter looked left and right, then wore that innocent grin.

"Perhaps we should call it even, then?"

Alice laughed, releasing him and leaning on the railing of the balcony. The Hatter stood beside her, looking up at the stars.

"What happened?" she asked him. "How did you find the rest of your memories?"

"I would not inquire about the mind of a half-mad Hatter," he answered, not looking at her. "No good things can come of it."

Alice laughed, making the Hatter smile. His answer was light-hearted, but guarded, and Alice knew that then was not the time to try and satisfy her curiosity. He would tell her how in due time, if he so wished. She was not sure what had happened between the Queen and Tarrant, uncertain as to what had to transpire in order to have all his memories return. Looking at him now, he looked excessively fatigued.

"I'm sorry, Alice," he said, quietly. "I didn't mean to lose my temper earlier. I just- I'm not sure what came over me. I really must learn not to ramble." He wasn't very good at this sort of thing. Alice wrapped her arms around the Hatter again, silencing his unnecessary apology. He closed his eyes, carefully bringing her closer to him.

For just a few, blissful moments, they found peace.

* * *

**A/N: **Sooo, what did you think? :) Drop off a review and let me know! For the Phoenix Wright fans out there, I have a couple chapters of a Romance/Mystery Miles Edgeworth fanfic (not yaoi, sorry) posted. Set before a few years before AJ:T&T and a few years after Miles Edgeworth Investigtions. Feel free to check it out!


	7. A Visitor

Forget Me Not

Summary: "You won't remember me." "Of course I will, how could I forget?" The Hatter feared that Alice wouldn't remember him, but he never considered the possibility that he would forget Alice. AxH

**A/N: **Thanks to those who caught the little typos I made! I fixed them accordingly. :3 You guys all keep me on my toes. xD

Disclaimer: I only own my OC's and this fanfic.

* * *

Chapter 7: A Visitor

When Alice awoke the next morning, she dressed herself for the day before making her way to the dining hall. Many of the creatures were there having breakfast, and Alice was happy to see the Hatter awake, too. She had just finished her breakfast when Chessur suddenly appeared on her lap, purring. Alice pet him with a small smile.

"Good morning, Chess."

"Good morning, Alice," he replied. "No word from Vlakobeth yet," he said with a grin.

"Good. Um…" She looked around at the others. "Is there something wrong with King Vlakobeth? I mean, is he a tyrant like the Red Queen?"

The creatures around her grew silent; even the Hatter looked grim, and he had been with Alice the entire time in London. Did he know of the King already?

"He has done nothing terrible so far, other than kidnap you," Chessur said. Alice bit her lip.

"Well, if he hasn't done anything tyrannical, and if his champion defeated the White Queen's champion fairly, is it really so wrong for him to rule?"

"He seems like a nice man, Alice," said the White Rabbit carefully, glancing fearfully at the Hatter. "But he's done some terrible things in the past."

"In the past?"

"He was the Red Queen's husband for a short period of time," Mallymkun said. "We all thought he was dead, for he was sentenced to a beheading when she realized he was going to leave her and try and claim Underland for himself."

"But here he is," continued the White Rabbit, "appearing out of the blue – pardon the expression – and challenging the White Queen. He had a champion, a _Tharendhall_, and the White Queen had no one to represent her. You are the White Queen's champion, but you were not reachable, so he won by default. By the time Chessur and Absolem had made it to London, you were already gone, and the White Queen had already lost. We have assumed he took you from London beforehand to ensure that he would win the crown from the White Queen."

Alice stayed silent, but she saw the Hatter's eyes flash orange.

"When he had some control over what the Red Queen did, when they were still gaining power in Underland," Chessur said, watching the Hatter carefully, "He was the one who ordered the destruction of the court on _Brillig_, and was responsible for the deaths of most of the Hightopp clan. He ordered Stayne and his knights there that day. We can't prove it though; he destroyed all evidence so we can't protest to his rule-"

"Enough," said the Hatter softly, the Scottish accent strong. He rose from his seat and began to walk away.

"Enough."

Alice stood up to follow him, but Chessur's head reappeared in front of her.

"We have no idea what Vlakobeth is up to; we don't even know how he is still alive," Chessur said. "So for the time being, all we can do is wait."

Alice nodded before running after the Hatter.

He walked fast, and Alice didn't catch up until he had stopped in one of the nearby rooms on the first floor. Alice watched as he bent low, placing his hands on either side of a basin.

"What is that?" she asked, and the Hatter did not look at her. His Scottish accent was still present when he spoke.

"'Tis a basin," he answered. "Yesterday, the White Queen stole my thoughts from me an' showed them to me. She forced the images in fron' o' my eyes, and made me watch them. Every bad memory tha' the _Memoiria _ha' triggered was laid forth in this basin. Watching one memory led to the discovery of another, and another, and…" the Hatter closed his eyes, bowing his head. A red wisp of smoke left his head, stretching out towards the basin. Before it could reach, however, the Hatter raised his head again and the wisp of smoke returned to its rightful place beneath his skull. It seemed to draw the memories out of anyone who stepped too close to it.

Alice reached a hand out and placed it on his shoulders. His eyes turned green almost immediately, and he reached out to hold her hand beneath his.

"I had a sister," he whispered to Alice, gentle lisp returning. "I called her Neenie. She called me Tarry. I tried to lead her to safety along with the White Queen, but the Jabberwocky got to her first."

He looked up as he felt Alice's arms slide around his waist. His heart did an odd little back flip. He became suddenly aware of how dark their conversation had become, and shook his head.

"Ah, well, that was then and this is now," he said, regaining his air of light-heartedness, though there was a slight sadness to his eyes. "Did you relive any memories, Alice?" he asked her. Alice shook her head.

"I just felt pain."

"Perhaps it only affects those who try to penetrate the barrier, and not whom the barrier is meant to protect."

"Forgive me for saying this," Alice said softly. "But I am happy that I was taken. The barrier made you... you again."

The Hatter chuckled.

"Did you miss me, Alice?" He did not expect answer, just teasing, but Alice glanced at him.

"Very much so."

The Hatter looked surprised, but soon he was walking and looking ahead of him again. So, Alice did care for him, at least a little. If she had missed him... The Hatter shook his head with a small smile. Perhaps the most embarrassing part of everything yesterday was having to re-watch the memories of his dreams, which the White Queen had politely diverted her eyes from.

"Have you ever felt strange, Alice?" he asked her, turning away from the basin. Alice led him out towards the gardens, away from the dark room with the odd basin, and out into the light.

"Strange?" she asked. "Well, I feel strange quite a lot of the time. But I suppose it depends on which context you use it in. How do you feel strange, Hatter?" The Hatter followed her, trying to distract himself from the exhaustions of the previous day.

"Well, I feel strange when I'm with a certain someone, or even when I'm not with them." He looked around, moving his hat a little further forward over his face. Alice made him stop walking though, looking Hatter in the eye.

"Hatter," she said. "Do you have these strange feelings for a person?"

Hatter took a moment to think about it.

"Yes," he said. "I think I do. I think about her all the time, and I don't mind waiting for her. I enjoy my time with her when we are together, and-" The Hatter stopped talking when he noticed Alice's grin.

"You fancy someone," Alice said, smiling.

"I- I what?" he asked. He'd never heard the term before.

"Who's the lady?" Alice asked curiously. The Hatter glanced at her. His heart began to pound a little harder, and he became very self-conscious. Usually he would not be afraid to tell Alice what he thought, but he'd had another one of his inappropriate dreams last night, and, well…

"You either know her or you don't, so her name should not matter," he said, not giving Alice a straight answer. Alice just smiled, looking down to her feet. She usually would pry at such an intriguing subject as this, but to know that the Hatter had 'strange feelings' for someone, well, it made her a little uneasy. She wasn't sure why.

* * *

Later that night, the White Queen held a small celebration for Alice's return. It was only proper, she said, to welcome her back with a Welcome Back party. Food was cooked, tea was served, and everyone was having a grand old time. It was the first time Alice had been introduced to Underland wine, which had a sweet, yet at the same time, bitter taste. She, the Hatter, and the White Queen shared a bottle, while the animals stuck to their tea. While the party was supposed to be a light and happy affair, the three of them often slid back onto the topic of the new King, who was planning to issue an order which would state that only Underland residents could stay in Underland. That meant his guards would be doing their rounds for proof of citizenship and birth (or marriage to an Underlandian, if from a neighbouring land), but Alice had no such thing. She was from London, and had no place in Underland aside from being its former champion. They would have to find a reason to have her stay.

Alice found herself reacting strangely to this Underland wine, however, and they all moved away from the topic of King Vlakobeth and the possible outcomes of his rule. She giggled from where she sat on the ground with the Hatter. He had walked her to her bedroom after the party ended, and they ended up playing cards for several minutes afterwards. He beat her of course, several times, but Alice didn't mind. She wasn't used to sitting like this, but she enjoyed it. Her parents always told her it was inappropriate to sit on the ground unless invited to a picnic, and even then you had to watch how you sat. Here, she could cross her legs and show her ankles without a care in the world. The Hatter removed his hat, but Alice quickly moved to put it back on his head.

"I like that hat on you," she said to him, her hands sliding from his head to his shoulders. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he pressed his forehead against hers. He looked into her eyes, that smile on his face.

"What's on your mind, Hatter?" she asked him. He leaned closer to her, an oddly genuine and even vulnerable expression overcoming his features.

"Do you really want to know?" he asked her, a smile on his face. Alice hummed.

"Yes, I believe I do." He leaned closer to her, as if about to share a secret.

"What if I told you," he began softly, "that I was thinking of a word that begins with the letter 'K?'"

Alice's heart skipped a beat.

She felt his lips brush against hers, ever so lightly. They were soft, warm, and she found herself leaning into him. His arms slid carefully around her waist, pulling her close. When the Hatter pulled way, he looked shy, but he was smiling. They looked into each other's eyes for but a moment; silent questions floated between the two of them.

"I feel strangely for you, Alice," he whispered, looking down bashfully. Alice tilted his chin so he was looking up at her.

"I was hoping you would say that," she said with a smile.

Without any further thinking, they were locked in a tight embrace and they kissed again. The Hatter lifted Alice off of the floor and brought her to her feet. This was all so unexpected! Alice wondered if the wine was what was affecting her so strongly, for she was almost certain that this wasn't like this. She didn't just kiss Hatters out of the blue! But there was no denying that she was enjoying it.

She tugged at the edges of his coat and fell back against the bed, too hazy-headed to stand. The Hatter fell with her, careful not to hurt her in the process, but as she pulled him closer to her, she felt him draw away. One look was enough to tell her that he was already changing his mind. He was looking at the bed with an uncertain expression on his face.

"Um," he said softly, closing his eyes. He drew in a deep breath to keep himself calm, trying to push away the remnants of his dreams. These were not appropriate thoughts!

"Hatter?" she whispered to him.

The Hatter moved off of the bed, shaking his head.

"So sorry," he said to Alice. Alice sat up.

"Sorry for what?" she asked. "Hatter-"

"So sorry," he repeated. "So sorry, Alice. Perhaps-"

He fumbled with his coat, straightening his attire and his hat before rushing to the door.

"Perhaps we shouldn't kiss anymore."

Alice watched as he closed the door behind him.

* * *

"You did _what?_"

Chessur was floating idly by, around the Hatter's head. He was doing a very good job of pacing back and forth in the White Queen's entrance hall.

"I – I don't – I think I kissed her!" he said exasperatedly, clutching at his hat in distress. The Cat stared at him, green eyes sparkling with delight.

"Good show," he said, and the Hatter shoved the Cat's head away.

"Bah! I made an utter fool of myself. I told her – I told her I had these feelings for her, when I don't even know what they mean. I only just regained my memories, what am I doing? Things shouldn't be happening so fast, I-"

"Hatter."

Chessur floated so he was upside down as he looked the Hatter in the eye. The Hatter blinked, politely awaiting a response.

"Yes?" he said.

"Do be quiet and let a good thing happen to you for once."

"Good thing? I defiled the Underland champion!"

"It is not as though you robbed her of her innocence," said the Cat, making a face. "You kissed. And, from what I hear, she kissed you back, did she not?"

A small smile tugged at the Hatter's lips, and his gaze drifted slightly as he thought back to their kiss.

"Yes," he said quietly. "So she did."

"If I were you," said the Cat, inspecting his claws with a haughty air. "I would be upstairs kissing that naïve girl who managed to save all of Underland and is quite likely destined to do so again. I wouldn't be wasting my time talking with a cat who is, by all means, much smarter than you."

The Hatter giggled quietly.

"It was nice," he said. "Kissing her. You think I should do it twice next time?"

"Perhaps," drawled the Cat.

"Right," the Hatter said. He looked around for nothing in particular before turning to go up the stairs.

"I shall go clear things up with Alice, then."

He had just climbed the first few steps when a chime rang out through the hall, signaling a guest. He glanced at the Cat.

"You expect a cat to open the door?" he asked. "I may be smarter than you, but I still only have paws."

The Hatter glanced up, torn between answering the door and going upstairs to see Alice. The image of kissing her again was much more pleasing.

"Just answer," Chessur said. "I will fetch the White Queen for you."

The Hatter hurried to the door and opened it, bowing low.

"Welcome to the White Queen's Castle," he said softly. "May we help you today?"

Upon standing from his bow, the Hatter's eyes flashed orange.

"I think you could, yes," the guest said. He extended a blue hand out to the Hatter, which he did not shake.

"I am King Vlakobeth, and I wish to see Alice."

* * *

**A/N: **R&R for the next chapter!


	8. The Oraculum

Forget Me Not

Summary: "You won't remember me." "Of course I will, how could I forget?" The Hatter feared that Alice wouldn't remember him, but he never considered the possibility that he would forget Alice. AxH

**A/N:** Ahh people are making Avatar jokes about the King's blue skin but I've never seen Avatar so I have no idea what you're talking about! XD I know, I'm terrible. Enjoy the chapter!

Edit: **Happy Easter, everybody! :D**

**PeersHitInMoscow: **By a word that starts with the letter 'K', I meant 'kiss.' ;D

Disclaimer: I only own my OC's and this fanfic.

* * *

Chapter 8: The Oraculum

"What are they saying? I can't hear."

"Sshh!"

"Tarrant, yer standin' on my ear-!"

"Both of you quiet, or we'll be caught!"

"Ouch!"

Mallymkun whacked Tarrant and McTavish on the head. They were peering through the keyhole of the door, trying to see and hear what exactly was going on. King Vlakobeth was sitting at a table across from Alice and the White Queen. Alice was slumped over slightly in her seat, but the King and ex-Queen were perfectly poised. King Vlakobeth wore that friendly smile, and the Queen returned it politely. Alice felt very plain, sitting between the two.

"I don't know if you've heard," the King said, "but I am planning to commence a background check on the citizens of Underland. I thought it would be only fair to warn you, before I begin, that each individual found to not have origin here will be sent back from whence they came."

"Question," Alice said, sitting up straighter for a moment. The two royals glanced at her; clearly neither was used to being interrupted or questioned. The look of surprise on Vlakobeth's face quickly faded, though, and he managed a friendly smile.

"Yes, dear Alice? What is your question?"

"Um, if this is Underland, isn't it only natural that there are only Underland creatures here, except for me?" She cocked her head to the side. "Aren't I the only non-Underlandian here?"

The King laughed. His handsome face wrinkled slightly at the brow, his laugh like that of chiming bells.

"Do you think you are the only one to fall through the hole to Underland from above?" he asked, and Alice blinked. "You are simply the only special one. The rest are but pawns on a chess board."

Alice sidestepped her curiosity as to who was from London in favor of asking a different question.

"Okay, so if that is true, the hole is far from any city in London. It is in the back yard of a mansion, so if that hole has been there for centuries, the amount of people who have fallen is small."

King Vlakobeth nodded, still smiling.

"So why are you going through all this trouble to send, perhaps, five people back to London?"

"There are neighboring worlds, dear girl," he said, clearly amused. "Underland is simply the most bountiful of them. Only two neighboring worlds, yes, but plenty of creatures immigrated here for a better life. Some went through the paperwork to obtain their citizenship, some did not. Alas, those who did not will be sent back."

"We have similar rules in my world, between countries," Alice agreed, interrupting the King again. "But can I ask why a world as wonderful as this would not simply accept those who wished to live in it?"

"There are these things called clubs in your world, yes? Of which you need membership to join? Those who are responsible enough to obtain membership are allowed to be in the club, those who weren't are refused entry. That is Underland. Wonder," he added with a smile, "does not come easily."

"Well, then everyone will just file for citizenship papers," Alice said with a simple shrug. "Then no one will have to leave."

"Citizenship papers take a few months in your time to complete," the White Queen said softly.

"Yes, and those who do not have any are to be out of Underland in five days after they are found out."

"But why?" Alice asked again, curiosity overwhelming. "The White Queen let people stay – she let _me_ stay! But why not you?"

"The White Queen is beautiful, Alice, with a compassion to match her features." The King glanced up at the ex-Queen. "That is the problem. Things need to be run properly around here, and that is why I am now in rule. She has been ignoring her political duties as queen. I was fair enough to warn you, so when my officers come knocking at your beautiful palace door, please co-operate and return to London."

"How?" Alice interrupted. "The hole was filled in."

"Do not be so ignorant as to assume there is but one way to the above world," the King said, standing up. It was the first flash of hostility Alice had seen from him. "The White Queen has some things that will send you back up there. Goodbye, Alice. It's been a pleasure."

He flashed her a smile, his white teeth bright against the color of his blue skin. Then he stood, and the White Queen did, too. Alice followed in their examples. The White Queen and Alice curtsied as the King bowed. He then left, and there was a scramble from behind the door as the tea party trio opened the door for him.

"You seemed quite adamant back there," said the White Queen sadly to Alice. "Perhaps you desire to stay in Underland this time?"

"…No," Alice said softly. "I shouldn't. My family must be wondering where I am. I want to go home." What a blatant lie.

"Then let's get you back," she said, and the White Queen nodded.

"Follow me, then, I have-"

"Wait," Alice said, closing her eyes. "Can I just have a few days to say goodbye to everyone? I'll leave when the King asks it of me."

The White Queen faltered, but nodded after regaining composure.

"Of course."

Then she left the room.

The March Hare, the Dormouse, and the Hatter all hurried in. A butterfly flew in slowly after them, landing on Alice's shoulder.

"Alice!" Mallymkun exclaimed. "We heard everything! Are you really to be leaving Underland again?"

Alice glanced at the Hatter, who looked grim. She pretended to ignore him though, still feeling the fresh wave of rejection from when he had told her that they shouldn't kiss.

"Yes. I suppose I have no choice. But it's for the best; I can't abandon my family."

"Oh, there has to be a loophole somewhere," the Dormouse said, waving her little sword around. "Absolem! What should we do?"

"Marriage, dear girl."

"Marriage?" Alice repeated, immediately thinking of her mother. "Not you, too, Absolem? I am not that old, I'll-"

"Silence, stupid girl." He fluttered his blue wings in frustration. "Our marriage certificates in Underland double as citizenship papers. No Underland ruler would be cruel enough to separate two people who managed to fall in love just because they were born in different places."

"But whom would I marry?" Alice asked. Absolem fluttered his wings again. "There is one of _your_ kind living in a mushroom hut not far from the tea party. He, however, obtained his citizenship papers. Perhaps you can ask him, for he is known to be somewhat of a hermit. I'm sure he would appreciate _company_ such as yourself."

Alice glanced up, and the Hatter was not looking her way.

"But shouldn't you only marry for love?" she asked Absolem, and the butterfly sighed.

"Fine. Marry for love in London. But it will cost you Underland."

With that, he flew away. The Hatter finally looked up.

"You can't marry a stranger, Alice," he said softly. Alice felt her temper flare slightly.

"I won't; I'll just return to London." She used her hurt as a shield against the Hatter, her words curt and precise.

"But then none of us will see you again."

"Well then, who am I to marry, if not a stranger?"

The Hatter said nothing, simply looking at her with his big, green eyes. McTavish suddenly hopped about, as if reaching an idea.

"Alice!" he exclaimed. "Why don'tcha marry the Hatter?! He's no' a stranger!"

Alice sent the Hatter an icy stare.

"I'm not going to marry someone who doesn't want to _kiss_ me." Alice walked, head held high, out of the door. Upon rounding the corner, of course, she tripped. But she after regaining her balance she kept walking.

"What?" the Dormouse asked, furrowing her eyebrows. "What does she-?"

"Alice!"

The Hatter ran after Alice. When Alice heard his voice, she shook her head and turned into the nearest room. She slammed the door shut, but the Hatter easily pushed it open and stared Alice down.

"You can't go," he said. "I've watched you go numerous times before, but I don't mind waiting for your return. I can't – don't go if you won't come back," he said, struggling to get out his words. Alice crossed her arms, looking away. She didn't want to leave, either, and she knew it, but she felt stubborn and needed an outlet to vent. Fighting with the Hatter made her feel good.

"Why does it matter to you?" she challenged, and the Hatter sent her a look.

"It matters a lot to me, Alice."

"You kissed me then pushed me away and said you didn't want to anymore."

"I _never_ said-!"

"No," Alice interrupted boldly. "Of course not." She turned to leave, pulling open the door, but Hatter pushed it shut again with one hand, keeping her in the room.

"Don't tell me that I said things I never actually said!" he exclaimed, and Alice placed her hands on her hips.

"Fine. You don't want to kiss me, and I don't know why I'm making a big deal out of it, but I am! When you pushed me away, you left me feeling foolish, and unwanted, and- and- why did you kiss me if you never wanted to in the first place?!" She glared at him, and the Hatter's eyes finally flashed orange, something Alice wanted to see.

"Don't tell me," he said aggressively, accent strong, "that I don't – didn't – want to kiss you!"

He trapped her against the door with his arms and bowed his head, capturing her lips roughly with his. Alice made a noise against him, and shoved him away, slapping him hard across the cheek, breathing heavily. He took a step back, eyes flickering green for only a second before becoming orange again.

"Fine," he said in a low voice. "Fine, I-"

Alice closed the gap between him and jumped into his arms, crushing her lips against his. This time, neither one of them pulled away. The Hatter's arms easily held Alice against him, and he turned to press her against the nearby wall. He felt Alice's arms wrap around his neck, and he broke away to nip at her neck. Alice bit her lip, looking down at him. When he pulled back, his eyes were yellow, just as they had been when he woke in London to find Alice reading his journal.

"What made your eyes turn yellow in London? What were you dreaming about?" she asked him breathlessly as his hands wandered about her body. The Hatter, his brogue more pronounced than ever, answered,

"You."

He kissed Alice passionately then, and Alice returned it with a slight whimper, making his hold on her tighten. His mind wandered to the dreams he had, night after night, but this time, instead of running away from them, they fueled him. This was all actually _happening._

"Don't marry a stranger, Alice," he whispered to her desperately. Alice shook her head, running her fingers through his hair.

"I won't."

The Hatter kissed her again, relief flooding through him, and he felt his stomach do a back flip as he felt her hands slip beneath the fabric of his shirt, brushing her soft fingertips across his stomach. He feared to break the strong connection between them, and did not have enough courage to say the words. But he thought it, ever so desperately, as he held Alice and kissed her.

_Marry _me _instead_.

* * *

"So you're really going, Alice?"

"Naw, she can't be going, she's Alice!"

"But why can't Alice be going?"

"She's the Underland champion, if she goes there is no champion!"

"And if there's no champion, there's no Alice!"

The Tweedles looked at each other before chiming in unison:

"Don't go, don't go, Alice!"

Alice smiled and turned to the two of them from where she sat on her bed. They waddled over to her and gave her a hug, which Alice returned with a sad sort of smile.

"It's not my choice. I would stay and I would visit as often as I could, but the hole has been filled in. I have to leave using a potion the White Queen is going to give me, and after that I can't return."

"Marry me, Alice!" chimed Tweedle Dum.

"No, marry me, Alice!" chimed Tweedle Dee. Alice laughed.

"But you don't love me, Tweedles. Save your love for the right girl out there and marry her instead. I'll be fine."

The Tweedles waddled out of Alice's room, arguing about who would find the 'right girl' first.

"Why don't you challenge Vlakobeth's champion?"

Alice glanced at the Hatter, who had just emerged from her bathroom in her room, straightening out his attire. Alice smiled.

"I don't slay," she said.

"You don't slay?" he repeated. "I think there's a certain Jabberwocky out there who would like to argue with you."

Alice laughed and pulled the Hatter towards her, pulling him into another kiss.

"You know," she said upon pulling back. "This is just going to make it harder for us when I leave. Us kissing, I mean."

The Hatter sent her an incredulous look.

"May I remind you that you are the one that just kissed me? Don't scold me for that."

Alice laughed and wrapped her arms around him again. He picked her up and sat her on his lap.

"You know what I mean," she said. "I can't come back here after I go."

"Then I'll go with you," the Hatter offered, and Alice shook her head.

"It would be wrong to leave everyone behind just for me, Hatter."

The Hatter frowned.

"But I lo-"

"Oho! We found it! _We found it!_"

The White Rabbit came hopping in, a grinning cat floating behind them.

"Found what?" asked the Hatter, moving Alice off of his lap and onto her bed. The Cat sent him a meaningful look, and he just smiled back.

"The newest Oraculum!" The Rabbit unrolled it with excitement.

"Oh, here," Chessur said, pointing to a venue with his tail. "That's today. See?" All of them were sitting on a bed, gathered around a scroll.

"Take a look at this venue!" the White Rabbit said, eyes wide. "Alice is marrying someone!"

The Hatter's heart skipped a beat. He looked to the venue, but the man drawn was bald and hatless. He furrowed his eyebrows.

"Over here," said the White Rabbit, moving the Hatter's attention away from the wedding venue. "Alice is slaying something; She's holding a knife in her hand."

"That's not a something," said Chessur, his tone suddenly changing. "That's a _someone._"

Alice stared at the picture, a drawing of her holding a knife in her right hand. She was stabbing…

"Hatter?" Alice breathed. "I'm going to kill the Hatter?"

* * *

**A/N: **R&R for the next chapter!


	9. The Proposal

Forget Me Not

Summary: "You won't remember me." "Of course I will, how could I forget?" The Hatter feared that Alice wouldn't remember him, but he never considered the possibility that he would forget Alice. AxH

**A/N:** Holy crap that was more reviews than I was expecting to get for one chapter! xD Sorry for the cruel cliffhanger from the last chapter, but those of you that have been with me since Up From Wonderland should know that I am a cliff junkie. Anyway – onto Chapter 9!

Disclaimer: I only own my OC's and this fanfic.

* * *

Chapter 9: The Proposal

"May I just ask _where_ you managed to find that?"

Absolem flew into the room, landing on the White Rabbit's head. The White Rabbit glanced up at him.

"King Vlakobeth dropped it on his way out."

"I find that very hard to believe," the butterfly said, and the White Rabbit looked guilty. Absolem glanced at Chessur, who was inspecting the tips of his claws once again.

"All right, so he didn't drop it. I nicked it from him as he went out the door. Toe-may-toe, toe-mah-toe," the Cat said, and Absolem sighed.

"Have you thought about the consequences of taking such an item from the _King_ of Underland?"

"He probably has a spare," said Chessur, and the butterfly fluttered his wings.

"A spare?" he repeated. "There is only _one _Oraculum; it has told us each and every day since the beginning. It has simply added on since the _Frabjous Day_."

"I can stray from the path," Alice said, finally speaking up for the first time in several minutes. The Hatter glanced at her.

"I strayed from the path before and I can do it again."

"Yes, you strayed from the path before," Absolem said in a drawl. The White Rabbit, catching on, continued, his eyes wide with realization.

"But the destination your path takes you to," he said, pointing to the last venue in which Alice killed the Hatter, "Will be the same."

Alice felt sick.

"I-I couldn't," Alice said, shaking her head. "I saw no way out of slaying the Jabberwocky, but I can't- I can't kill someone close to me. It's impossible. How could I-?"

"Take a look at this," said the White Rabbit, pointing to the frame just before the final one. "It seems that the Hatter will try to kill you first."

* * *

Self-defense.

That was it. That was what it led to.

Alice would kill the Hatter in self-defense.

Once again left alone with him, she watched as he paced back and forth, eyes flashing between orange, green, and blue. The White Rabbit and Chessur had left to alert the White Queen of their findings.

"Hatter," she said softly, and he held up a hand to silence her. He closed his eyes as though pained by something.

"Please," he said. "Please, Alice. I'm still thinking."

Alice glanced down to her feet. The Hatter continued to pace, and finally he said,

"All right. I'm done thinking."

He sat down on the bed beside her.

"And?" Alice prodded.

"And," he said with a sigh, "There is nothing we can do. The Oraculum has spoken."

Alice felt her heart sink to her stomach.

"So you're not actually going to – erm – that is to say, you won't-?"

"Alice, I believe in my heart that I would never attempt to rob you of your life," the Hatter said seriously.

"I would never dream of doing the same to you," Alice assured him. The Hatter smiled.

"If I won't hurt you, and you won't harm me, then regardless of what the Oraculum says, we have nothing to worry about."

Alice paused a moment before nodding.

"No, you're right. You're right! Nothing to worry about." She placed a light kiss on the Hatter's lips. When she pulled away though, she saw a crestfallen look on his face.

"Hatter?" she whispered, and he closed his eyes. "Is everything all right?"

"Yes, Alice. I just have to be somewhere. Excuse me." He began to stand, but Alice caught his wrist.

"Wait," she said softly. "Would you just stay a while?" she asked softly, and the Hatter looked away a moment before nodding. Alice lay on top of her bed covers, and the Hatter moved behind her, drawing her close. Alice closed her eyes, the Hatter resting his chin on top of her head. Both of them could feel the awkwardness between them.

"Thank you," she whispered nonetheless. The Hatter closed his eyes.

"Anytime, Alice."

* * *

_The Hatter threw Alice onto the bed. Alice welcomed him with her arms, and he climbed on top of her. He could feel her sliding his jacket off of his shoulders, her dainty fingers unbuttoning his shirt. His hands wandered her form, and they both slipped beneath the covers before Alice finally spoke._

"_I love you, Hatter," she whispered, nipping at his ear. The Hatter's eyes flashed yellow as her hands grasped at his hips. Nonetheless, he replied in one, soft breath,_

"_I love you, Alice."_

_She turned so that she was on top, pressing herself against him. The Hatter closed his eyes, his heart beating irregularly fast._

"_A-Alice-"_

"_Ssh," she whispered. She tossed a discarded garment of his to the floor, and he swallowed. Alice made a sudden movement, her hips pressing against his, and the Hatter gasped, vying for control. _

"_O- oh my!" The Hatter's shut eyes squeezed tighter and Alice smiled against his ear._

"_Don't stop now."_

"A-ah!" The Hatter jumped up. No matter how many times it happened, he always awoke with a start. It was one of the reasons he hadn't wanted to stay with Alice through the night. But how could he say no? She had looked so vulnerable, and the Hatter wasn't one to deny Alice. Oh, no. He was a perfect gentleman, always looking to make Alice as comfortable as possible.

Well, in real life at least. Perhaps his thoughts were not as gentlemanly as he wished them to be.

Sure, Alice knew of his dreams now, but that didn't make it any less embarrassing for him in the mornings. Sitting up, the Hatter looked around. He was still on Alice's bed, on top of the covers of course. The Hatter had better manners than to slide beneath the covers with a woman he hadn't wed. In place of Alice, however, there was a pillow, and she was nowhere to be seen.

He found himself walking up to the closet that they had placed the Oraculum in. With Alice gone, presumably speaking with the White Queen, he wanted to take another good look at it. Perhaps they were wrong, perhaps it wasn't the Hatter that was killed, and a different man that she married.

The Hatter lifted the towel it had been hidden under, and his eyes widened when he realized it was gone.

"Hatter!"

He turned and straightened his hat at the sound of the Dormouse's voice. He offered her a small smile, shutting the closet door quickly.

"Good morning, dear Mallymkun. How do you fare?"

"Hatter," she said again, her tail straight as a needle. "Alice is leaving!" The Hatter furrowed his brow.

"What? How preposterous-"

"Look!"

She climbed up to the windowsill, pointing at the glass. The Hatter walked up to it, and his heart stopped beating when he saw Alice climbing onto the Bandersnatch. The Oraculum, he could see, was stowed away in a small backpack on her shoulders.

"No!"

The Hatter ran. He slid, he skidded, and he hopped; whichever way was faster. When he finally reached the courtyard, Alice and the Bandersnatch were already disappearing from the horizon.

"Alice!" he called after her. She didn't hear, and soon, was out of sight.

* * *

Three precise knocks sounded.

King Vlakobeth waved his arms and stood from his throne. Two of his monkey guards opened the doors, and Alice came walking up the blue-carpeted aisle.

"Alice!" he said, standing up and sending her a welcoming grin. "Alice, how lovely to see you. How did you know the way to my palace?"

"The White Queen gave me directions," she said softly. He noticed the look in her eye.

"Is there something I can help you with?" he asked generously, and Alice pulled a scroll out of her bag. The expression on the King's face faltered.

"I want to know what this means," she said.

"Where did you-?" he began to ask softly, but Alice extended the scroll to him, clenching it tightly in her fist.

"What does it mean?!"

The monkeys moved closer to Alice, but King Vlakobeth subtly waved them off.

"I was wondering where that went," he said. "I was hoping you wouldn't find it. It's frightening, is it not?"

"You're banishing me, but it says right here, at this venue, that we are to be wed!"

"I know," the King said softly. He bowed his bald, blue head.

"Then why?!" Alice demanded boldly. A sad look crossed Vlakobeth's handsome face.

"It is no secret that you and the Hatter are close. Throughout Underland, all the citizens know of your friendship. He helped the Underland champion each time she came down the Rabbit Hole. Foolishly," he said, still somber, "I had hoped that if I sent you back to London, I would be able to change the destiny of the Oraculum. No one wants to murder their best friend. Perhaps I would do some part in protecting you in some way."

"Why do you care about _me?_" Alice asked with a suspicious glare.

"I am King Vlakobeth," he said, bowing humbly to Alice. "I care about all living beings, much like the White Queen."

"I don't believe you. If you did, why did you order the attack on _Brillig?_ Why did you marry the Red Queen?"

"That," the King said softly, "Is none of your concern."

"It is! If I am to be told what I must do and who I must be, I have full right to know!"

"Perhaps," the King said patiently, "I feel remorse for my past actions and simply wish to makes things right."

"You do not make things right by sending me away from the people I love!"

King Vlakobeth smiled.

"Do you really wish to know why the Oraculum predicts what it does?"

Alice nodded curtly.

"I do."

"Then come and sit, dear Alice, and I will tell you."

Alice walked up to the King's throne, taking the smaller seat beside it. He turned to look at her.

"The Oraculum wants nothing more than for its champion to reside in Underland," he explained. "Alas, it has written that you are to marry the King, and as such, gain immediate citizenship in the land."

"That's ridiculous," Alice countered. "I could marry the Hatter instead of you."

"No," the King said. "You couldn't."

"Why not?"

"Alice, this is something not even the Hatter knows. The White Queen, too, tried to hide it from me, but the documents of Underland do not lie. Tarrant Hightopp, he is not from this world."

Alice sent him an incredulous look.

"Of course he is. He is a member of the Hightopp Clan, he-"

"Please," the King requested in a soft voice. "Let me finish. One day, a small boy fell through the Rabbit hole. With brown hair and green eyes, he wandered onto Hightopp soil. One couple, unable to bear children, came across him. They took him in and taught him everything of their trade. They were Hatters, of course. They loved him and they cared for him, and told everyone that he was a miracle child. He wasn't, though. Hardly. He was, I suppose you could say, adopted: he was a child of the world above, and his parents never had the heart to tell him. They were so happy their miracle child turned out to be a small girl by the name of Neenonia Hightopp, born a couple of years after Tarrant's arrival. Unfortunately for Tarrant, they couldn't file for citizenship papers, for they required a signature from the applicant receiving citizenship, and they didn't want to break the news to him. All they had were adoption papers, but those alone can't keep the Hatter here. They were to tell him when he was older, but they passed on before they could."

"Are you trying to tell me that the Hatter will be exiled to London?" Alice asked, and the King nodded grimly.

"But how could he be from London?" she asked. "His eyes change colour, his accents alternate-"

"He fell into the Pool of Emotions, in Queast, when he was small. Dear Alice, if you go to London, you can help the Hatter live and move on. There will be no murder."

"If you stick us together in London, who is to say that we will not murder each other there?"

"The reason for the Hatter's attack," the King said, taking the Oraculum from Alice and unrolling it, "is jealousy. If we do not wed, then the Hatter will not attack, and you will not slay in self-defense."

"You can't just kick him out of Underland, it's all he knows! He would never fit in in London, it's not lively enough, it's not-"

"Alice," the King said sadly. "It is my duty as King to follow the rules of the land. The White Queen is fortunate enough that she is not receiving penalty for not issuing a check every five years."

"You're the King," Alice said. "So change the law. Make things right."

"I wish I could," the King said. Alice blinked.

"What? Of course you can."

"No, I can't. Haven't you wondered why the White Queen just didn't change the law while she was in rule? Why she simply ignored it?"

Alice blinked.

"You have to be married. One King or one Queen can rule, but without marriage, there is no full King or Queen status. Thus, there is no chance of an heir inheriting the throne, and a slim chance that the laws you changed will be maintained. In order to change laws, you need a spouse, for if an heir is produced, then the chance of Underland having a full monarchy becomes high. So unless I find someone to marry within the next five days," the King said with a quiet laugh, "I cannot change the law and you and Tarrant will be sent to London."

Alice, at a loss for words, glanced to her feet.

"I have a proposal for you, Alice." The King walked in front of Alice, kneeling in front of her. She watched him suspiciously.

"If you marry me, I will change the law for you, and correct some corrupt laws that will make Underland the truly wonderful place it should be. Tarrant will stay, you will be free to leave and come as you so wish. We will separate, of course, after all the new laws have taken effect, and you can live your happily ever after with your real prince charming."

"You said yourself that if we marry, the Hatter will be overcome with jealousy," Alice said. Why was he suddenly going back on what he said?

"I know. But I just thought – if we could protect you in the short span of time, keep you away from him, we could defy the Oraculum together. There would be no murder, for he wouldn't be able to reach you, and we would be separated, our marriage null by the time you saw the Hatter next. If you wish, we could even hide your identity when pronouncing you temporary Queen."

Alice stared him down. She examined his eyes, his expression calm but kind. There seemed to be no traces of lies in his demeanor or his words, though Alice had never been a good judge of character.

"What do you think?" he asked. "The Oraculum says we are to be wed; we can get married, but defy the path that follows. There will be no murder – only good for Underland."

"I don't know," Alice said. "Can you guarantee that?"

The King flashed her a smile.

"On my life, Alice."

When Alice returned to Marmoreal later in the evening, the Hatter was waiting. Mere seconds after she slid off of the Bandersnatch, he came running through the doors, Chessur and the March Hare behind him.

"Alice!" he exclaimed, and Alice held on as he lifted her into his arms. Her head rested in the crook of his neck, and the Hatter held her close.

"I was afraid I wouldn't see you again, you know," he said, giggling helplessly. "Why didn't you tell me where you were going?"

"I was afraid you would try and stop me," she said quietly. The Hatter set her on her feet again.

"Where did you go?"

"I saw King Vlakobeth. I asked questions about the Oraculum he'd left behind and…"

"Splendid! So you have answers!" Alice bit her lip at the joyous look on the Hatter's face. Sometimes he could be just like a child: so oblivious.

"Yes," Alice said softly. "I have answers."

"Come in for tea, you two," Chessur's voice called from the doors of the castle. "It's cold out."

The Hatter took Alice's hand and led her inside. Alice felt a horrible guilt eating at her, and she could only watch as the Hatter shut the door to their room and poured her a cup of tea.

"I have a surprise for you," he said, and Alice found herself rubbing her clammy palms against her dress.

"A surprise?" she repeated.

"Yes. When you left, I was terribly frightened you were running away. So I found something that my mother had given me, in case you returned." He held out a small, velvet box to Alice, and her heart skipped a beat. She opened it, and a small stone, shaped like a cloud, sat on a pillow inside.

"I wanted to give it to you, to let you know that despite what the Oraculum says, we shouldn't be afraid. It's a stone that gives you courage, so long as you believe in what you're doing. If we love each other, then there would be no reason for one of us to kill the other!"

"Love?" Alice choked, looking up at the Hatter. He blinked, then a small smile reached his lips.

"Well, yes, Alice. I love you very much."

Alice swallowed, and after a moment, she wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace. He returned it, and kissed the top of her head.

"Hatter," she said.

"Hmm?"

"I have something to tell you."

The Hatter pulled away from the hug, and finally, that childish innocence was no longer there. He looked concerned. He held both her hands in his.

"What is it, Alice?"

"I'm..." she closed her eyes and drew in a breath. "I'm leaving."

The Hatter suddenly grew cold, and his finger brushed against something hard. Looking down, he saw a solid gold ring on Alice's left ring finger, encrusted with several glittering diamonds.

* * *

**A/N: **Don't hate me! Just R&R for the next chapters and things will unfold! XD


	10. A Fake

Forget Me Not

Summary: "You won't remember me." "Of course I will, how could I forget?" The Hatter feared that Alice wouldn't remember him, but he never considered the possibility that he would forget Alice. AxH

**A/N:** Okay, be ready for some drama in the beginning of this chapter. xD; I'm sorry you're all so frustrated with me! Haha, but isn't this more exciting than the two of them just randomly professing their love for each other?

...No?

Okay, well then I seriously have to rethink this plot... XD

Disclaimer: I only own my OC's, this fanfic, and the two poems in this chapter.

* * *

Chapter 10: A Fake

The Hatter withdrew his hands from Alice's, and he felt an odd wave of emotions rush over him. He began to shake, as though he were stuck between the emotions anger and hurt with no idea which to pick. Alice watched, crestfallen, as his eyes flashed between green and blue.

"L-leaving where?" he managed to ask, and Alice reached a hand out and placed it over his. He withdrew it almost immediately and stood, turning his back to her.

"Hatter-" she tried to say, but he shook his head.

"Leaving where?" he asked again.

"To Naural," she answered quietly.

"Where the King's new palace resides?" The Hatter asked quietly.

"Yes."

The Hatter couldn't stop shaking. He wanted to walk out but he wanted answers at the same time.

"Why? I thought we-"

"Hatter. Please, don't make this harder than it already is."

"Oh," said the Hatter, turning to face her. "Oh yes, I can see how this is very hard – for _you._"

"Hatter-"

"Don't _Hatter_ me!"

He turned to face her, his eyes blazing orange. Alice cowered slightly beneath his gaze, looking away. How she wished she could tell him that this was all for his own good. If only she could tell him that this was the only way he could stay in Underland - that she would be back soon.

"Yeh lied! Yeh lied, Alice! Lied!" His accent was thicker than usual. The Hatter turned his back to Alice again, bowing his head in his hands as his shoulders shook, hands cold. Alice ran up to him and wrapped her arms around him, but he sharply recoiled.

"I tell yeh I love yeh and _this-_" The Hatter held up Alice's hand, waving her new ring in her own face. "This is what yeh present me with? Wha' happened? Why? Wha' did I do?"

"Hatter, you did nothing-"

"I did _something!_"

Alice faltered, at a loss for words. She had never been the reason for Hatter's outbursts before. He finally walked up to her, and grasped her arms roughly. He was having a breakdown. She could tell. His eyes were practically glowing, and she turned her face away from him.

"Tell me wha' I did!" he begged. Alice made the mistake of looking at his heartbroken face, and she felt herself begin to tear up.

"I can change," he whispered, his eyes flickering green as he caught sight of her tears. "If you want me to, Alice, I can-"

"No, Hatter," she whispered, holding his cheeks in both of her hands. He was clammy.

"Don't change. Don't ever change."

The Hatter let out a very quiet sob, and Alice's eyes closed tight when she felt his lips meet desperately with hers. Against her better judgment, she returned the kiss, and he held her hands in his, squeezing her left hand tightly.

"Alice," he whispered upon pulling back, Alice kissed him between his words. "Alice – please – don't go. Don't leave again. You said you wouldn't marry a- a stranger-!"

Alice tears stream down her face, and his strong fingers wiped them away. He held her against him, and brought her into a passionate kiss. Neither of them wanted to let the other go. His hands ran through her beautiful yellow hair, her hands pulled him closer to her. They fell back onto the bed. This was the breaking point. This was it, and they both knew it. This was their last chance to be together.

"I love you, Alice," the Hatter whispered desperately between fervent kisses. Alice wrapped her arms around his neck, the solid weight of the gold ring a burden on her left hand. How she wished she could return the sentiment without making it harder for the both of them.

"I know, Hatter," she whispered quietly instead. "I know."

* * *

In the end, Alice and the King had decided not to hide their marriage. Those close to her would never believe she wasn't Alice, and Alice did not wish to drink any potion that would change any of her physical features. By the end of the night, all of Underland knew of Alice and King Vlakobeth's engagement, due to be married at his castle two mornings from then. The White Queen wandered her own castle, wondering just what had happened between her champion and her ex brother-in-law. It didn't seem right, and not even Absolem could find an answer as to why this was happening. He simply said, "it is what the Oraculum has foretold. Try as we may, everything will happen."

She found herself outside of Alice's bedroom door, raising a hand to knock. Before she made any contact though, she lowered her fist again. Alice was scheduled to leave in a few hours, when the sun rose again, and the White Queen doubted she could pry some answers out of her in that short span of time. She continued to walk, her heels softly clicking against the stone ground. Then, she heard the creak of a door opening, and she turned.

The Hatter was stepping out of Alice's bedroom. The White Queen watched, silently, as he tucked his shirt in and straightened his cravat. Finally, she stepped forward. He didn't jump, but he turned sharply to look at her. His eyes were a bright and vibrant blue. He was a broken Hatter.

"Oh, Tarrant," she whispered, placing a hand over her mouth. The Hatter's lip twitched downward in a momentary frown, and he walked up to his Queen.

"I could not help myself," he whispered. "In the end, no matter how hard I tried- but it's not like we- I just stayed with-"

"Hatter, she is a soon-to-be-married woman. You have no business being in her room so late at night, no matter what the deed." She watched as his expression faltered, and it seemed as though she was watching his heart break before her very eyes. She wrapped her slender arms around him and comforted her Hatter as he cried into her shoulder.

"It wasn't meant to be," the White Queen whispered to him. The Hatter dabbed at his eyes with his handkerchief.

"It was supposed to be meant to be, was it not?" He managed a sad sort of smile before he continued walking, and the Queen let him go.

"Do you regret your time with her?" she asked before he disappeared into his room. The Hatter pushed the door open without looking at her.

"No."

The sun rose some time later, and a very solemn-looking Alice met a small crowd of creatures outside the entrance of the White Castle.

"Are you sure, Alice?" the Dormouse said to her. "Are you sure you don't want to reconsider?" She reached down and kissed Mallymkun on her tiny head.

"I'm sure. Take care of everyone for me, will you, Mally?"

"Of course, dear."

Alice gave each one of them a hug, though Absolem and Chessur were nowhere to be found. When she reached the Hatter, the last in the crowd of people, she offered him a sad sort of smile. She leaned in to hug him, but he gave her a half-hearted, one-armed hug, a very guarded expression on his colourful face. His eyes were still blue.

"Goodbye, Hatter," she whispered. He said nothing, and simply bowed, tucking something into his back pocket. Alice paid the action no mind.

"Will I see you at the wedding?" she asked him, very quietly, and his eyes hardened slightly.

"Of course, if that is what you wish."

"It is."

"Then I will see you in a day's time."

Alice smiled at him, trying to ignore the pain it brought to see him acting so distantly towards her. She turned away from him as King Vlakobeth landed on the grounds, maneuvering a hot air balloon. Alice watched as he walked out and kissed the hand that held his ring.

"Good morning, Alice. Shall we get going? We have plenty of things to prepare." Alice took one last close look at the Hatter, who was watching them with a stony expression on his face.

"Of course," she said.

She climbed onto the hot air balloon, turning to face the creatures as she heard cries of "Goodbye, Alice! Goodbye! We'll see you tomorrow!" She looked quite sad as the King pulled a rope, causing them to rise high into the air. After one final look upon the crowd, Alice realized that the Hatter had already left.

* * *

"_How quick the fate of death condemns.  
How young the victims are.  
Everything I ever loved  
left nothing but a scar._

_I'd figured all there was to learn  
a Cat would then supply.  
And yet unanswered questions stand:  
Why must the noble die?_

_In time, my wounds grew numb to pain;  
I simply didn't feel.  
But then, I mused, perhaps in time,  
I'll find I'll never heal._

_Distractions are my only world,  
and logic I may lack.  
But feelings are my only life  
wherein I may fight back._

_How then, you ask, could I suppose,  
that hope for me exists?  
How could there be a prospect left  
that all this time I'd missed?_

_The answer is a simple one,  
and one I may regret:  
Even if she is not _my _Alice love__,  
Her kiss I won't forget."_

The Hatter licked the tip of his pen, humming as he looked over his words. Pretty good for five minutes' time. Inspiration had hit him hard, he supposed. Perhaps he could write another one! He sat up and put his pen to parchment yet again.

"_The best of friends,  
too quick to part.  
A hug, a bye,  
a broken heart._

_Tears don't end.  
I am sincere.  
I want you back  
and your love severe._

_Instead you're gone,  
all hope is black.  
I'm an empty soul.  
You won't come back._

_Continue to live  
as a vacant shell.  
I've lost, I'm gone,  
I've fell._

_But that's okay  
because sometime soon,  
we'll meet again  
in Heaven strewn._

_Until that day,  
I must be true:  
Never will I  
lose my love for you._

_Goodbye my friends,  
I'm the last to go.  
I'll wait for Heaven,  
as you so know._

_Take me now.  
You've set a trend,  
When I go  
my pain will end._

_The best of friends,  
too quick to part.  
A hug, a bye,  
and my depart."_

The Hatter stared at the two poems he had written.

"Nah," he said, crumpling them up and tossing them over his shoulder. No muchness to them. He sighed as he rolled and unrolled the Oraculum like a common scroll, an act he had taken to doing the past little while. He had taken it from Alice's bag whilst hugging her goodbye – to this very moment, he was unsure as to why. The wedding was scheduled to be in the next few hours, and only a few of them were attending. Many did not want to see Alice wed the new royal that had forcefully taken the crown from the White Queen, but those close to her were there to support her every step of the way.

Now, the Hatter did not support her, but he could not say no to Alice, either.

He was wearing a lime green suit, a powder blue bow tie clashing terribly with his pale skin. His hat no longer read ten-sixth but six-tenths, and his orange hair had grown slightly longer since their return from London. He almost looked like the old Hatter – except for his blue eyes.

He laid himself down upon his bed with a quiet sigh. He was still at the White Queen's castle, seeing as it would be better to head to Naural as a group as opposed to alone. After that he would return to his home, which was just past the dancing stone statue and the operatic willow tree, only a few feet away from his wonderfully pathetic tea table.

"She left," he said to no one in particular, unraveling the scroll and holding it above his head. The early morning sun shone through his window and through the scroll.

"She really left."

He examined the new venues of the Oraculum and spotted one of Alice and the King eating at a table that looked surprisingly like his tea table. He held it closer, letting the sun's rays shine through the thin parchment.

"What is that?" he said to himself, squinting. In the light, it looked as though there were a faded hat on top of the King's bald head. He sat up, and the hat disappeared. He lied down, held it against the light, and the hat reappeared. The Hatter furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, rolling the scroll out further despite the protest of his held up arms. His gaze landed upon the marriage venue, and the same thing happened: a faded hat was atop the King's head. The Hatter studied the following pictures closely, finally coming across the picture of himself. The hat, he noticed in the sunlight, was drawn in a thicker kind of black ink, on top of a bald head. In the last venue, where Alice was supposedly stabbing him, the hat was drawn in that same unique ink, a bald head visible behind the lines.

"Interesting."

The Hatter sat up with the scroll and walked out of his room. He looked left and right, finally spotting a butterfly resting on the petal of one of the flowers placed neatly in a vase. The Dormouse was there, too.

"But I'm certain I heard them!" squeaked Mally.

"Well," came the butterfly's drawl. "You heard them wrong."

"I didn't! Alice specifically said that the King told her the Hatter was adopted."

"He's not."

"But she said-"

"I'm not adopted."

Mallymkun squeaked, jumping slightly when she heard the Hatter's voice.

"Hatter!" she exclaimed nervously. "How are you doing?"

He blinked his blue eyes.

"I'm confused. Why are you saying I'm adopted?"

"Well," the Dormouse said, swishing her long tail slightly. "That's what Alice and the White Queen were talking about, before she left."

"I'm not adopted," the Hatter said again.

"Oh, Tarrant, they said you didn't know," the Dormouse said sadly.

"He's not adopted," said Absolem, slightly aggravated.

"Yes," the Hatter agreed. "I'm not. I have pictures and photos from when I was born, and when Neenie was born."

"Then why were they-?"

"Listen," the Hatter interrupted, shaking his head. He didn't have time for silly things like the ridiculous assumption he was adopted. He was a spitting image of his father!

"There's something funny about the Oraculum."

"Where did you get that?" asked Absolem, his antennae twitching slightly.

"I nicked it from Alice," he said, mimicking Chessur's words from before. "And I was just… looking at it; something seems off. Here, take a look." He held it flat against the window in the hallway, the sun streaming through the parchment.

"Here, Absolem. Right here."

The butterfly landed on the parchment, and the Hatter pointed to one of the drawings.

"See how it looks as though the hat was drawn on with moving ink?" he asked, and the butterfly hummed. "And here… it looks as though the hat was erased. It's even in different ink from the rest of the Oraculum."

"What are you getting at, Hatter?" asked the Dormouse, crossing her tiny arms across her chest.

"Silence," said the butterfly. The Hatter and the Dormouse shared a look, and barely a moment later, Absolem's droll voice met their ears:

"This Oraculum is a fake."

* * *

It really was a lovely knife.

Passed down to him from his father, the knife held the dual ability as a wand. It was the reason for his success. He had led all of Underland to believe him dead after his tyrant of a wife arranged for his execution. Imagine his surprise when, disguised as a flamingo, he had come across the Oraculum, after the _Frabjous Day. _It had been hanging out of a White Rabbit's waistcoat pocket, and he quietly removed it when the animal hadn't been looking. He demanded a future from it, and was pleased to see the newest venues appear right before his eyes. He was to become King again, he saw, and then…

Murdered.

For real this time.

Apparently, the Hatter was to marry Alice, and the King was to attack her. He had yet to figure out why he would want to do such a thing given that type of scenario, but he really didn't want to find out. Alice was to stab him in self-defense, and if she did, he would die.

As if he was just going to sit back and let that happen.

"Um, King Vlakobeth?"

Vlakobeth subtly slid the knife into the breast pocket of his suit and turned to face Alice, a compassionate smile on his blue face.

"Hello, dear Alice. Are you ready?"

The young lady was dressed in a beautiful white gown, made from only the finest silk of the Underland silkworms. She looked like a statue, well-cut but with a cold expression.

Alice wouldn't be able to kill him if he killed her first.

"I- I think so."

"Good. You look beautiful, by the way." He walked up to her and placed a fatherly kiss on her forehead. She looked away.

"I thought the groom was not supposed to see the bride before the wedding," Alice said.

"What an odd thing to say. Why ever not?" The King asked, and Alice shrugged.

"I suppose it's only a practice in my world."

"Ah. Come, Alice, let us make our way to the courtyard."

Alice nodded, and they walked together for a time. Eventually, she spoke and he sent her a contemplative glance.

"Why weren't you angry when I left? After you captured me, I mean."

"I'm sure you've heard the saying, 'Finders keepers, losers weepers?' Well, Alice, I graciously accepted my loss when I realized you were gone." He was patient, his gentle face expressive. Alice, however, still spoke up.

"Why hold me captive in the first place?" she asked.

"For a terrible reason, though it had to be done: I wanted to win the crown by default. I didn't want to risk you challenging my champion."

"Why?" she prodded. The King withheld a sigh.

"Well, I'm not a fan of violence," he said mildly. "I avoid it if I can. And I am quite the ah, what would you call it? Ah: sore loser. I so did want to win and make things right in Underland."

Alice nodded, growing quiet again. Usually she would get mad at someone for using her so blatantly, but she just felt so… empty. It had already passed, anyhow. He was going to change the law soon and the Hatter would be allowed to stay in Underland. That was why she was doing this, right? Her mind flashed back to the night she had previously spent with the Hatter, her heart aching. This wasn't right, this marriage, and she knew it. But she had to do it, even if her heart belonged to somebody else.

"So, the Hatter's really adopted?" she asked him quietly as they stepped out onto the grass. King Vlakobeth reached a blue hand behind his back and crossed his fingers very slightly, out of her line of vision. The other hand slid into his pocket, running his fingers along the weight of the hidden knife.

"Of course, Alice," he said. "Would I lie to you?"

* * *

**A/N: **Is it terrible that every time I wrote the word 'adopted' I thought of Ray William Johnson from youtube? Oh gawd. xD Way to break the drama. Anyways, R&R for the next chapter!


	11. An Unlike Alice

Forget Me Not

Summary: "You won't remember me." "Of course I will, how could I forget?" The Hatter feared that Alice wouldn't remember him, but he never considered the possibility that he would forget Alice. AxH

**A/N:** You guys are so great! Correcting typos I miss, pointing out general ideas that I didn't even realize... It gives me a chance to observe my story from a different perspective. Who needs beta readers when I have you guys? Haha! Oftentime, I am left feeling very dumb, but hey, it's a good thing. xD There is always, always room for improvement!

Many people wanted to know whether or not the Hatter and Alice had sex in the last chapter. While you can interpret the scene however you wish, I did not originally write the scene with that goal in mind. There is a line where the Hatter is stuttering, and he says "but it's not like we- I just stayed with-", insinuating that while they may have kissed and done things inappropriate for an engaged woman, though they did not go 'all the way.' Hehe. I thought I would clear that up – but hey! For those who are cheering for that, go right ahead and pretend that's what happened. I don't mind. xD

**Ngoc Chau: **First of all, thank you for your faithful reviewing! As for Tarrant's hair, it had been cut in London, after Margaret took him in, so it is still fairly short. Not quite the length it was in the movie.

Disclaimer: I only own my OC's, this fanfic.

* * *

Chapter 11: An Unlike Alice

_It's a stone that gives you courage, so long as you believe in what you're doing._

Alice ran her fingers over the cloud-like stone, smooth to the touch and light as air. The whimsical material danced about her fingertips before nestling in the center of her palm. She sighed; how had she gotten this far? How had she sunk so low?

She glanced up to the sky, wondering just how far London was from her.

So much – too much – had happened. There was only so much she could tolerate without feeling burdened. A part of Alice wondered what had happened to the lackadaisical, carefree child she had once been, during her first encounter with Underland. She had fallen through the Rabbit Hole and attempted to curtsy while doing so. She had talked about cats eating bats and bats eating cats before falling, unharmed, to the floor, several minutes later.

Growing up, she supposed, could make a child not so… childish. When she had fallen the next time she was screaming. As an adult, there were responsibilities to think about, consequences to consider... Everything had been so much easier back then. In fact, she had said whatever she wished to the Hatter upon her first arrival, and he had said whatever he wished right back. She winced slightly as she thought back to the hours prior, when she had tried to bring up topics she really should have asked him. How unlike herself! Alice had no shame in speaking her mind, but it was just such an awkward topic to address. How did you approach a Hatter who was really from London and tell him he didn't belong in the world he knew so well? She hadn't had the courage to ask him, too caught up in his kisses and his desperate search for comfort, foolishly hoping that she would not leave him. Perhaps she had been too rash in making her decision? Should she have taken more time to consider the source before so hastily accepting his proposal?

She didn't think so.

_It's a stone that gives you courage, so long as you believe in what you're doing._

The Hatter's soft lisp echoed once again in the back of Alice's mind. And he was right. She had the courage; she held the belief that what she was doing was right. Alice never did anything unless she wanted to. She was not a lady to be bossed around. But why had it been so hard to breach the subject of his adoption with him? She had managed to speak with the White Queen about it easily. Unfortunately, she had been quite… vague the entire conversation.

"Many are adopted in Underland," she had said.

"But is the Hatter?"

"That is not for me to tell. That is something you need to ask him yourself."

"But he doesn't know."

"He might," the White Queen had said mildly. "Try asking."

But she hadn't.

Falling into the Pool of Emotions would explain his many sides, she supposed, but how could someone from London Futterwacken so vigorously? Alice was more than certain she couldn't move her body the way he did. There was such room for doubt in everything; the King could be lying to her. She looked to the diamond ring on her finger.

Suddenly the stone emitted a soft, lime green hue, not unlike the natural colour of the Hatter's eyes. Warmth overcame her, calming her senses, and she inhaled deeply as a breeze blew by. No, she believed she was doing this for all the right reasons. Even if there was room for doubt, Underland was going to change for the better. And so long as the Hatter stayed in Underland, what did it matter if he were adopted, if he were really from London? Perhaps there was another Underland explanation to his odd dancing ability. Hers and Vlakobeth's plans held the best of intentions. Underland was not as wonderful as she had originally thought, but together they would change that. She glanced at the King, speaking with one of his guards in the distance. Her eyes found the sky again, watching as multi-coloured birds played in the clouds.

"I wonder what it would be like to be a bird," she said to herself, ever so quietly. "Then I could fly away from here."

"Alice!"

She sat up straighter when she heard her name, and her blue groom-to-be was walking in stride to where she sat on the bench beneath the over-sized mushroom gazebo.

"Are you ready, love? The wedding is about to start. All the guests have arrived."

Alice glanced at the hand he had placed in his breast pocket.

* * *

"You're going to get yourself arrested, objecting to the King's wedding." The Cheshire Cat plopped his furry form on the top of the Hatter's top hat.

"A small price to pay to stop him from marrying Alice," the Hatter replied from where he sat on the chair.

"Really? I hope you are aware that there is no happily ever after if prince charming gets thrown in prison while his damsel is abstained from marriage and becomes a spinster?"

"Hush, Chess, that is not appropriate wedding chatter," the Hatter scolded lightly. His eyes, at least, were back to green.

"Forgive me, I wasn't aware there was an entirely separate category for wedding mannerisms."

"That's all right."

Chessur glanced at the Hatter, waiting to see if he registered any of the sarcasm that he had implied in his earlier statement. Of course, the Hatter, ever oblivious, didn't notice and went on fidgeting with his gloves.

"Tampering with the Oraculum is a serious offense," said the White Rabbit from where he was seated beside the White Queen. "Does that mean he could lose his crown?"

"Yes," Mirana replied with a delicate nod as Mallymkun crawled onto her shoulder. "The Oraculum is one of the precious objects of Underland. It has told of every day since the beginning. Once presented that he has created a falsified copy, he will lose his Kingship and I will be free to take the crown again. We just need to pick the appropriate time before the vows are made to expose his lies. Almost all of Underland is here; it is the perfect event."

"Oh, I _do_ love public humiliation," said Chessur, purring as he remembered the White Queen's banishment of the Red Queen into exile. "Perhaps in that dramatic speech about the fake Oraculum we could mention the décor here? Everything is so white and boring."

"So what do we do now?" asked the Dormouse, ignoring Chessur. The White Queen sighed, facing forward and waiting for her Underland champion to arrive.

"We wait."

So they did.

Seconds passed into minutes. The minutes extended, and upon glancing at the clock tree nearby, the wedding was ten minutes late to start and neither the groom nor the bride was in sight. They had been given their own special gazebo in which to watch the supposedly lovely outdoor wedding, so they were separated from the rest of the crowd.

The Hatter held his breath before turning to the White Rabbit who held the scroll.

"Let me see that; have you figure out what the genuine Oraculum has foretold?" Without waiting, he unrolled it and glanced at the end, squinting into the frame. It was still of Alice killing the Hatter.

"Hold it up to the light," said Chessur, bored. "The Queen and I smeared some truth serum over the link so it will tell the truth in the light. We couldn't have it tell the truth right away, otherwise there would be no evidence left to expose Vlakobeth."

The Hatter held the scroll up to the sunlight and followed the new events. None of them had been correct so far since the King's re-crowning. But why? What was his motive? He skipped back and forth different venues. Alice marrying a fellow in a hat (he dared to hope it was him), Alice stabbing the King-

The King attacking Alice.

It all clicked.

"He's going to attack Alice," he said quietly. Everyone looked at him.

"What?"

"He doesn't want Alice to kill him in this last venue, so he's going to kill her first! It's what the Oraculum has foretold!"

"Why would he do it before the wedding? Then he has no power to change the law," said the White Queen, furrowing her eyebrows. She had thought they had time.

"No. He doesn't _need_ the power; he is just like the Red Queen. Regardless of the law, he'll do whatever he wants! This compassionate façade is as fake as his Oraculum! He'll use the fear he bestows upon us for killing the Underland champion to fuel his rule! He killed my entire clan, and I will not have him kill my Alice!"

He coughed quietly and corrected himself.

"_The_ Alice. Chessur? Thackery?" The two animals glanced at him. "Let's go to the bridal tent. Alice may still be there."

Thackery giggled and pulled a broken teacup out of his bag.

"Must you carry broken dishes and cutlery with you wherever you go?" asked the Cat.

"Say wha' you will, Chess," said the Hare, shaking per usual. "I will be the one who has the pleasure in throwing a lovely teacup a' the King's bright blue head!"

The Hatter adjusted his sleeves, making sure his daggers were easily accessible.

"Ready?"

The three of them ran to the blocked off section of the Courtyard, and the White Queen watched them with a worried look in her eye.

"You're not going to stop them from being lunatics?" the Dormouse asked the White Queen, waving her little paws wildly.

"They are going to save Alice," she said. "I highly doubt that to be the actions of a lunatic."

"But what if they get hurt without me there to fight with them?" she asked worriedly.

"Have faith in our Hatter," said the White Queen gently. "I know I do."

There was a pause as the Dormouse watched them run. Then-

"No, I'm going to go fight with them!" And the Dormouse ran as fast as her little legs could carry her.

* * *

"Okay. So what's the plan here?" asked Chessur as he floated alongside the Hatter.

"Oh, I don't know. Perhaps we just ambush, yes?"

"Oh, tha's a wonderful idea," said Thackery with a giggle. They continued to run, spotting the bridal tent by the rainbow tree.

"Okay, stay quiet," whispered the Hatter. "We must be perfectly stealthy before an ambush."

The three of them gasped when a figure emerged from the tents. King Vlakobeth stood there, arching a brow before sending them his usual toothy smile. The Hatter glanced at Thackery and Chessur. Why weren't they ambushing? Why wasn't he, for that matter?

"How did you three get back here?"

"We um- we just- we-" Thackery stuttered heavily, and Chessur rolled his eyes, giving the Hatter a push forward.

"Tarrant wanted to speak with Alice one last time before the ceremony."

"If he hasn't killed her yet," the Hatter whispered to Chessur.

"What was that?" asked the King, glancing at the Hatter.

"Nothing," he replied merrily. "May I speak with Alice?"

"Of course," said the King. "Right in there."

_Okay,_ thought the Hatter to himself. _So he hasn't tried to murder Alice yet. But he will! And I'll be there to stop it!_

"Alice?" He poked his head inside the bridal tent. His breath caught in his throat when he saw her, dressed in a lovely white gown. Her blonde hair was tied up, and she looked nothing short of beautiful. Except…

The Hatter walked into the tent and let the fabric close behind them.

"Have you been crying?" He walked up to her, where she sat on a purple toadstool. She didn't seem anything like herself.

"Alice, are you all right?" he tried again. Her tense body relaxed suddenly, and she looked to the Hatter with a fatigued smile.

"I'm fine," she whispered. "What are you doing here?"

He fell to his knee on the grass, making himself level with her face. He cupped her chin in his hand.

"I can't let you go through with this. I tried, and I was going to, but I can't. The King, he's going to-"

He stopped when he felt Alice's arms wrap around him, and he closed his eyes at the feeling. The Hatter was a very social being, and he reacted strongly to gestures like these. He wrapped his arms securely around her, and he grew somewhat heady from the floral scents in her hair.

"I missed you," he whispered.

"I missed you, too." Alice replied. He pulled back to look at her, but the Hatter blinked upon noticing something.

"Your eyes, Alice," he said, stroking her cheek lightly. "Your eyes are darker than usual."

Alice stood from her seat, grabbing something off of her vanity. The Hatter stood too, watching her curiously.

"Alice?"

Alice raised her hand, and the Hatter's eyes landed on a jeweled knife. His eyes widened, and he stumbled back.

"Forgive me," she whispered.

Alice brought her arm down in one swift motion, and blade met with flesh.

* * *

**A/N: **R&R for the next chapter!


	12. Coloured Magic

Forget Me Not

Summary: "You won't remember me." "Of course I will, how could I forget?" The Hatter feared that Alice wouldn't remember him, but he never considered the possibility that he would forget Alice. AxH

**A/N:** Sorry for the late update! I know I usually upload one chapter a day but I got caught up in my final bio essay on infidelity xD Plus it's very tedious to write two chapters a day (I'm currently writing a Phoenix Wright fic at the same time). I know I had time to write the chapters, but I didn't feel like they were up to my standards. I'll do my best to keep updating, but when inspiration doesn't strike, it can be very hard to write. D: I hope you guys can forgive me and enjoy the chapter! (For what it's worth, there are **four** alternative chapters to this one, and **two **alternative chapters to the other fanfic – meaning in the span of two days I wrote several shitty chapters. Augh! Such wasted effort.)

The usual disclaimer applies.

* * *

Chapter 12: Coloured Magic

It was just a flesh wound.

A miscalculation.

This couldn't possibly, not in the history of all of Underland, have happened.

But it did.

The Hatter was holding Alice's wrist in his hand; he was holding her back, and she was trying to strike him a second time. One long gash ran along his arm from the first attack, and he could see blue seeping from the injury – a sign of dark magic.

"Let go."

Alice's voice was cold. She wasn't herself. One look in her unnaturally dark eyes was proof enough for the Hatter. He could easily distract her; he could knock that blasted knife out of her hand. His trusty throwing daggers were right up his sleeves – one had stopped Stayne from killing the Red Queen all those years ago. But he couldn't bring himself to use one on Alice, no matter how unlike Alice she may be. His eyes grew orange in the struggle. His arm shook from the force it took to try and stop her from attacking, and he knew he was fighting a losing battle. He brought up a second hand to Alice's wrist, trying to trap her, and she fought violently against him. He was considerably weakened, the dark magic draining his strength.

He heard a loud bang from outside the tent, and he turned his head to try and find the source. Alice took advantage of the distraction and jumped; all the Hatter felt was a searing pain digging into the right side of his chest. The Hatter yelled, and Alice did too. Alice pulled the knife from his wound, causing a fresh wave of pain to rush through the Hatter's body. But she raised that blade again with the intention of striking a third time. He looked up at her; she was clearly overcome with some kind of magic. And there was one thing his parents had taught him his entire life growing up: Goodness and Love conquered Evil. So the Hatter did the only thing that came to mind.

He kissed her.

Alice struggled at first, but he used whatever strength he had left to hold her against him. She flailed in his arms, trying to pull away and screaming against his lips. The Hatter couldn't let go. She eventually succumbed, and finally he heard the heavy thud of the blade hitting grass. Her arms wrapped around him and she kissed him fiercely. He did all he could to return it without wincing in pain. When she pulled away, he looked up: Alice's eyes were wide with fear. He was flooded with relief to see her back, his eyes flickering back to green. She had left them for a little while, possessed by some darker power the Hatter knew nothing of. But he had never minded waiting for Alice.

"Hatter?" she whispered, frightened, her sight falling upon the blood.

He smiled, stumbling slightly as the wounds began to make him feel light-headed.

"What- Hatter!"

If there was one thing he knew about Alice, it was this: she always returned.

"Welcome back, Alice. You're terribly late, you know." He fell to his knees, and Alice glanced down. Her white gown was stained with red and blue. Even at a time like this, the Hatter managed a weak smile.

"Naughty."

Alice stared at his crumpled form, and then –

She ran. She picked the knife up again, and she ran.

A part of her wondered if she should stay back in the tent, but what good was she there? She wasn't knowledgeable of Underland remedies, and she could barely comprehend what just happened. Her head was still cloudy and she could barely remember how the Hatter had ended up falling to the ground in the first place. She just knew she needed to get help. Whether it was help for the Hatter or for herself-

Alice hissed as she looked down to the hand that held the knife. It was black and blue, the dark colours slowly creeping up her arm. She was left with a dull throbbing sensation and she panicked; she didn't know what was happening. All those years ago, she had thought everything was a dream. Now she couldn't hide behind such false pretenses. So much – too much – had happened. Alice looked wildly around for someone nearby after leaving the tent, seeking a comforting face. She grasped at the stone, hidden beneath her dress, pressed against her heart. If there was ever a time she needed courage, it was now.

"Alice!"

Alice spun around. She saw King Vlakobeth standing over the White Queen, a knife in his hand. Her heart stopped.

After that, she wasn't really sure what happened.

She remembered running. She ran as fast as she could, and she tackled the King to the ground. The White Queen was yelling, but Alice couldn't quite hear. Her arm was hurting and was the most prominent feeling amongst all of the haze. When the fog cleared for but a moment, she felt a sudden impact against her heart; something hard crushed against her chest and was ripped away. She heard Vlakobeth scream, and suddenly Alice felt the weight of the knife controlling her own hand. A lime green light flashed before her eyes, giving her warmth, and Alice swung her arm forward, feeling the familiar sensation of blade plunging into flesh.

Then all Alice saw was darkness.

* * *

The Hatter stood by the window, peering out into the dark sky. Underland was usually a happy world; one that wore its emotions on its sleeve. After recent events, the sky had every right to be grey and filled with storm clouds. Vlakobeth, at least, was dead. The White Queen was restored to power. But Underland's champion…

He glanced at Alice over his shoulder, who was lying in the bed nearby, pale as a ghost. That blasted wizard of a King had bewitched her. Alice was only human. She couldn't handle some of the powers that were down here in Underland. The Hatter found himself walking up to her for the umpteenth time, checking her pulse and her temperature. The back of his shoulder ached from where he had been stabbed. Black magic from the King's knife had seeped into the both of them at the moment of attack. Fortunately, he was an Underlandian. He recovered just fine after being brought back to the White Castle, given enough time. Alice's human body, however, was still working to detoxify itself, to extract the black magic that had entered her system just from wielding the knife. It drained the muchness right out of her.

Of course, during her recovery, Alice's actions before the 'wedding' had been brought to light. All this adoption business had stemmed from her. Apparently it had been one of the lies Vlakobeth had used to convince her to marry. She had done it all for _his_ sake, with the intention to keep the Hatter in Underland. It was the most idiotic thing Alice had done. She had acted so rashly, something uncharacteristic of her, but the White Queen claimed it wasn't hard to believe. Alice, her entire life, had been ambushed with discoveries of Underland. It was only natural that one day she wouldn't be able to handle it, one day she would make all the wrong decisions, especially when love was in the mix. Love, the White Queen said, made people do silly things.

That left the Hatter feeling rather bubbly.

Even the possibility that Alice might love him back left him giddy. He looked out the window again. The King had manipulated her. He had constructed a plan to prevent the foretold destiny of his death, but in the end, his plan ended up being the reason for his death. He died by his own magic, his own conjured knife, a weapon he had given Alice meant to be used against the Hatter. One could only stray so far from a destined path; as Absolem had said, the destination would always remain the same. Alice had called upon the powers of the stone at the last moment, and Vlakobeth ended up striking the stone instead of Alice, the stone hidden beneath her dress. Dark magic clashed with coloured Magic; the stone's powers bounced back, blinding him, and aiding Alice in fulfilling the Oraculum's final prediction: Vlakobeth's death.

There was a downside to coloured magic, though: it was strong, but it had terrible endurance. After suffering the one stab from Vlakobeth, the stone had crumbled into pieces, the powerless remnants remaining on Alice's bedside table. The Hatter was allowed to stay in Underland, of course, and all those without birth in Underland were allowed to stay too. The White Queen turned another blind eye to the law, perfectly content with accepting those who wished to live in Underland. After the sham of a wedding she had just attended on Alice's behalf, she had no intention of getting married anytime soon.

"Let's take a look at those wounds again."

The Hatter smiled as Chessur evaporated in front of him, the usual cheeky grin on his face.

"Sure, Chess." He held out his arm, which was wrapped in bandages all the way from the wrist to the shoulder. Luckily the knife hadn't gone deep when Alice had attacked struck the first time, merely managing to make it a cut.

"You risk serious infection moving about too much," drawled the Cat. "You should be in bed, like Alice over there. I do believe this is the most co-operative she has been her entire stay here in Underland."

"Oh, be quiet, Chess. You know I can't sit still for too long."

The Cat ran its breath along the cut, purifying the wound once more. It had a little tinge of blue left that would be gone given a few more days.

"And the other wound?" the Cat requested.

"Oh." The Hatter quickly undid the buttons of the shirt he had been wearing. Due to the injury he wasn't allowed to wear something as heavy as a suit over his shoulders.

"Ouch," Chessur hissed once he had pulled away the bandages. "That looks nasty."

"Oh it is," said the Hatter lightly, smiling. "Thank you for noticing." The Cat glanced up at the Hatter. Why did it not surprise him to see the Hatter in such a chipper mood even after all of the events that had just taken place?

"Does she realize she loves you yet?" the Cat asked nonchalantly, and the Hatter smiled again.

"I don't know." He had told her how he felt, but he had never really gotten an answer. "I hope so. The White Queen said that love makes people do silly things."

"It does," the Cat agreed. The two of them sat there, Hatter listening to the Cat purr as he purified and applied more salve to his wound. It stung, but the Hatter didn't mind. It simply reminded him that he was real, and not a figment of Alice's imagination.

"Chess," the Hatter said.

"Yes, Tarrant?"

"When will Alice wake up?"

The Cat floated over to Alice. He poked her arm and her stomach before humming, his tail curling beneath him as he thought.

"Hard to say," he said, eyeing the dark bruise above her heart. "The dark magic is taking a lot longer to leave her system than we had hoped. We've never had to care for a London human before, so the recovery rates are vastly different. It's been almost two weeks in her time, and she hasn't even woken up yet."

"Ah," said the Hatter, seating himself down on the wooden chair by her bed. "No matter, I can wait."

"Suit yourself," said the Cat. "Goodbye, Tarrant."

"See you later, Chess," The Hatter closed his eyes, getting ready for a nap. Upon their return from the 'wedding,' the White Queen had given him a potion that stopped his dreams, and he could finally sleep in peace.

* * *

"Hatter…"

The Hatter furrowed his eyebrows.

"Hatter."

He turned slightly to one side, feeling his shoulder hit the back of his chair. He hummed, too tired to open his eyes. He didn't want to wake up.

"Shh," he murmured. "Sleeping."

He felt arms slide around his neck and a weight fall onto his lap. Instinctively, his arms wrapped around the person's form despite his arm and shoulder protesting in pain.

"Wake up," a voice whispered. The Hatter stiffened. Wait, he wasn't in bed, was he? He was in a chair. But why?

"Wake up, silly. It's Alice. Aren't you going to say hello?"

"Oh!" The Hatter's eyes opened, welcomed by the sight of Alice's smiling face. She laughed quietly, and they embraced. The Hatter held her close, an inaudible sigh of relief escaping him.

"Alice… you should be in bed."

"A little late for that, don't you think?"

The Hatter looked around. It was dark, the room only lit by a few dim oil lamps.

"How do you feel?" he asked, eyeing her injuries.

"Terrible."

"Do you… do you remember what happened?" There was a pause as Alice shifted uncomfortably.

"Yes," she said softly. "Somewhat." Alice tried to move off of the Hatter's lap, but his hold on her tightened slightly. She glanced at him, arching a brow.

"I thought you said I should be in bed."

The Hatter kissed her, lingering for a few moments afterward before he nodded.

"Okay. _Now_ you should be in bed."

"Why is it," Alice said as she moved off of Hatter's lap and slid beneath the covers, "that you always seem to be waiting for me?"

The Hatter smiled, shrugging his good shoulder in response. This was the Alice he knew. Despite the pain, she carried on strong. She had just awoken from a draining battle with the ex-King of Underland, and here she was, out of bed, talking as though nothing devastating had happened. A part of him could understand why. Before, she had been burdened with the task of marrying someone she didn't love. She had been frightened by what the fake Oraculum had predicted. But now she was free of Vlakobeth's reins, and free to be happy again. There was only the matter of telling Alice that everything had been fake: the Oraculum, Vlakobeth's excuses... but the Hatter would leave that task to the White Queen.

"I should go get the White Queen," he said after a moment. "She'd probably want to know you're awake."

"No," said Alice softly, shifting in her bed. "We can alert all of them in the morning."

"But-"

"Just stay with me. Please?"

The Hatter's expression softened and he slid in beside her – beneath the covers instead of on top. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her back close against his front. He pushed away the less than innocent thoughts that crept into his mind, focusing instead on how they fit. She fit perfectly against him, as if they were two pieces in a jigsaw puzzle that were meant to attach.

"If you don't wake up tomorrow morning, I'm going to be very upset with you," the Hatter whispered to her.

"I suppose I should wake up tomorrow, then," Alice whispered back.

"I suppose you should."

"Oh, and Hatter?" Alice said, glancing at him.

"Yes?"

"I love you, too."

* * *

**A/N**: All right folks, we are reaching the end soon! R&R for the next chapter.


	13. Things That Begin With the Letter 'P'

Forget Me Not

Summary: "You won't remember me." "Of course I will, how could I forget?" The Hatter feared that Alice wouldn't remember him, but he never considered the possibility that he would forget Alice. AxH

**A/N:** I have to say, I'm really surprised to see that a lot of people are actually enjoying this fanfic more than Up From Wonderland. One of my biggest fears in writing this fanfic was that I wouldn't get as much support for it as I had for the last one. But you guys have been so great, and I'm actually a lot closer to the amount of hits/reviews that Up From Wonderland got than I expected to be.

That being said, I'm absolutely pooped. I worked split shifts Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, so I hope you can forgive me for all the late uploads. Augh… This will be the last chapter though, and I can only hope you guys can enjoy it! You've all been so loyal, and I have no idea how I can repay you all. :) Some people have requested another Alice/Hatter fanfic, but I don't think I can see myself doing another long-winded one. If I am to write anymore Alice/Hatter stories, they are most likely to be one-shots. XD Sorry guys! But too much of a good thing can be bad! Also, to those of you that asked me, yes, this fanfic was also **improvised.** Not one detail planned, but… that's always an interesting way to write. Kind of like you want to know what happens yourself, hmm? Like being your own reader.

This will be the last chapter in Forget Me Not, but the epilogue will posted tomorrow. :) I've kept you guys waiting long enough!

Someone, I think **hyoz** was the name, sent me a PM asking if they could translate one of my fanfics into Spanish? I just wanted to let hyoz know that your PM is disabled so I can't reply. I also think you have the wrong author – I don't have any fanfic by the name of "Marriage is Just an Adventure into Madness". Sorry!

**Your Oasis**: He did, but Chess made him spill and it made him forget everything. He just took the right amount this time. xD And as far as I'm concerned, Absolem doesn't know _everything_, though he is close_._ He is just wise. Everyone was so used to the Oraculum predicting everything and they'd never had to deal with a fake Oraculum before, so they kind of just trusted what it said. :)

The usual disclaimer applies.

* * *

Chapter 13: Things That Begin with the Letter 'P'

"_Stop it!_"

Thackery shook slightly from where he sat at the tea table.

"What, pray tell, is that racket?" Chessur's voice was heard before his body was seen, appearing in the seat across from the Hare.

"They're at it again," he said, eyes bugging slightly as he looked fearfully to the cottage nearby. The windows were wide open.

"Who?" asked the Cat.

"Who else?" remarked the Hare. "The Hightopps, of course."

The two of them glanced to the cottage from which the yells were being emitted. It was a small and cozy place, surrounded by blue and white flowers. It looked normal upon first glance, but upon closer inspection, there was one striking oddity: the roof was shaped like a top hat.

"Ah, love," sighed the Cat wistfully. "There is no question as to why I've never tried to find it."

"_You know I'm right- Oi! What are you doing?!_"

The Cat and the Hare watched as a hat was thrown from the window of the cottage. The man that had yelled appeared behind the window and bent over the frame to pick up the hat from the garden, his hair a flaming orange. A blonde woman appeared behind him, smacking him hard on the behind. Her face was etched with annoyance, but the man laughed at the contact, struggling to keep the hat away from the woman.

"Drop it!" she exclaimed.

"No!"

The blonde woman shrieked and pulled the man away from the window.

"How many times a week does she try to throw out his hat?" asked Chessur. Thackery hummed, setting down his teacup.

"Ever since Time and the Hatter made up, I would say at least a- a couple of times a w-w-w-week! Whenever they have a- a fight." He stuttered heavily, covering his eyes with his ears when he heard a dish crash.

"But I thought she loved that hat. It _is_ a lovely piece of work."

"She does," the Hare nodded. The two of them blinked as the couple suddenly reappeared in front of the window, now kissing passionately, the hat in question back on the man's head. After the sound of a few objects being knocked over, they disappeared again.

"I will never understand," said the Cat, shaking his head.

"Absolem does not even understand," said the Hare in his heavy accent. "So there is no hope for the rest of us."

"This is an odd sort of ending, don't you think?" asked the Cat, inspecting his nails. "It's quite fitting, actually, for Alice and Tarrant. Out of curiosity, what do they fight about?"

The March Hare giggled.

"Who loves the other more."

* * *

It had been, perhaps, a few months ago now. The stars were shining, the air was warm, the blades of grass crisp beneath their forms. Alice and the Hatter were lying beneath the long branches of the singing willow; the branches moved in the wind, causing an eerie, yet melodic sound, like that of a siren.

"Do you miss your family?" asked the Hatter. Alice nodded.

"Very much so."

"Then why stay here? Why not return to London, like you did before?" Alice stayed silent for a long while, just watching as each star glittered in the sky.

"I have my reasons," she said quietly. "They think I am abducted and most likely dead. My reappearance, while it would be a relief, would raise more complicated questions. Besides…" she reached to intertwine her fingers with the Hatter's.

"I have a plan."

"A plan, Alice?"

"Yes. Just trust me, Hatter."

The Hatter nodded and drew Alice close. She could be so curious, so prying, and yet you couldn't pry her. When her mind was set, she would not reveal her secrets. But the Hatter could always trust her to tell, in her own time.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked her, and Alice smirked at him.

"You know the answer to that," she said. "I feel wonderful." Her arm had originally been a source of much concern for those around her. They had never had to deal with the problem of dark magic entering a human from the world above, and as such, the remedies they tried all had some dangerous risks. Nonetheless, Alice had been given enough time, and healed despite the rough patches she had hit. The only leftover 'scar' from the ordeal was the peculiar colour of Alice's arm. It was slightly darker than the rest of her body, though there were no serious health complications associated with it.

The mismatched (or perhaps not so mismatched) pair met in an embrace there on the grass, and it became difficult to decipher one limb from the next. They rolled, lightly hitting the trunk of the willow tree. The Hatter sat up, his back against it, and Alice straddled his lap so she was facing him. They kissed, the Hatter soon parting from her lips in favor of exploring other areas of exposed skin, such as her neck. He nipped slightly at the base, causing Alice to sigh, her eyes closing as her lips curved upwards in a pink smile.

"I have a present," he whispered against her skin. Alice blinked, curiosity suddenly sparked. She liked presents.

"A present?" she repeated, still close. "What present?"

"Say it first," he said. Alice pulled back to look at him.

"Again?" She felt the Hatter's grip on her hips suddenly tighten in urgency, his lips moving back to flutter against the base of her neck.

"Yes," he whispered. Her eyes closed, and she found her mouth lingering by his ear. She waited a moment, and then-

"I love you." Alice felt something slide onto her finger after her statement, and despite the passion in his kisses she couldn't help but pull back again. She looked at her hand, her lips parting. It was not a gold ring as Vlakobeth's had been, but rather a ring made out of a curious, lime-green stone. Cloud-like in material, it practically floated around her finger, and was more beautiful than any ring she had seen in London. It was but a fraction of the broken stone that the Hatter had given her, and when she looked into his face, she saw nothing but vulnerable sincerity.

"I love you too, Alice," he finally whispered. The stone may have lost its magic, but it hadn't lost its meaning. The Hatter had given it to her, and only to her.

"Will… will you marry me?" he asked her. His expression suddenly grew very worried.

"If you don't, that's all right- I mean- if there's another man, I understand. I'm just a lowly Hatter, a half-mad Hatter, if not a _fully mad Hat-_"

"Hatter," said Alice, looking him in the eye. He closed his eyes, realizing that he had just gone off on another one of his infamous tangents. He was oh so nervous. His silly heart was giving his nervousness away, beating so fast and so loud like that.

"Yes," she said. The Hatter had to take a moment to think about it, his eyebrows furrowing.

"What did you say?"

Alice laughed, tackling the Hatter and wrapping her arms around him. His back hit the trunk of the willow, his eyes wide with shock.

"Y-yes?" he repeated. "You said- you want to-?!"

"Yes!" Alice said again, and their lips met in another amorous kiss. After a moment, though, Alice leaned back and took a good look at the Hatter's face.

"Hatter," she said softly, "Are you crying?" He turned his head away, his hat moving low over his face.

"Ridiculous," he said, wiping his eyes with the end of his sleeve. He was smiling, his tone affectionate even as he sniffled.

"Absolutely ridiculous."

* * *

_Crack._

Alice opened her eyes, folding her hands in her lap as she offered the Hatter a smile. That memory was still strong within her, almost as strong as the wedding day they'd had not too long after his proposal. The man in question had stepped on a twig nearby, failing to remain silent in his attempt to approach her. The March Hare and the Cheshire Cat were nowhere to be seen, perhaps somewhere a tad more peaceful than the newly wed couple's battleground. This was always how their arguments ended: with her walking away, and him coming to find her.

"You're a bit small for my chair," he said, cocking his head slightly to the side. Alice shrugged innocently, stroking the worn wood of the arm rests. She could see the entire length of the tea table from where she sat.

"I like it though," she said. "It's no surprise you could wait here for so long. It's quite comfortable, if I may say so myself."

"Of course it is," said the Hatter, head held high with pride. "Now please, I am about to have a tea party. If you would like to join, I can have your own chair installed at the other end of the table," he suggested generously. Alice smirked.

"And what if I want _this _seat?" she asked. The Hatter's eyebrows rose slightly.

"But it's _my _seat."

"Yes, and?" Alice prodded. The Hatter hummed.

"And…"

In one swift movement, he had lifted Alice and sat in the chair, placing her on his lap and wrapping his arms around her.

"Well, we share our last names, so I suppose we could… share the chair."

"I suppose we could," Alice agreed, fighting back laughter. He leaned in and gave her a kiss, which she happily returned. They pulled back a moment later, just relaxing in each other's embrace. The Hatter's eyes slowly closed, enjoying the peace.

"You know…" she began, glancing at him. He didn't open his eyes.

"Hmm?"

"I have a present for you, too. To repay you for the present you gave me before."

"I already have a ring, Alice," he chided.

"I know," she said with a smile.

"What is it, then?" he asked, finally opening his eyes to look at her. She wasn't looking back though, her gaze instead focused on the pink skies and the setting sun. She moved his hands to her still-flat belly, and the Hatter's lips parted in surprise. Alice felt herself being lifted from the chair, and she laughed as she was spun in a circle.

And quite suddenly, all of Underland was around them, brimming with new promises and possibilities.

* * *

**A/N**: There you have it, once again. The end to my fanfic. Stay tuned for the epilogue, which I promise won't be late. :P Fairfarren, everyone!


	14. Epilogue: Forget Me Not

Forget Me Not

Summary: "You won't remember me." "Of course I will, how could I forget?" The Hatter feared that Alice wouldn't remember him, but he never considered the possibility that he would forget Alice. AxH

**A/N:** Ah – I can't believe I'm actually saying this, but here is the last chapter for my last Alice/Hatter fanfic! ;_; I love you guys! I'm probably going to suffer from fanfic withdrawal over the next few days…

Someone had a great question about **how to contact me** after the stories were over and done with**.** You could always contact me through FFnet, but I also have **gaia **and a **deviantArt **(though nothing on it is very good on there and it hasn't been updated in a while.) My gaia username is the same, Je Love You, and on deviantArt I am Kaffing (Please be aware this is not an active account; it has all my old works and I use it purely for favourites now, etc. I will start a new account under Je Love You eventually, but I've been too lazy so far. xD). Feel free to add me on either of those sites. =) I used to be -werewolfs twilight- on gaia [I named that before the Twilight saga came out and it has nothing to do with it] but they banned my account on false pretenses that I was botting when really I had accidentally hit "Keep me logged in" on my three different house computers. *SIGH* So my current profile is obscenely empty. I had over a million gold worth of items on the old account, but alas, alas! A new beginning as Je Love You. =)

This person also asked if I **RP**. I do RP, mostly on gaia in private threads or PM's. I only do literate RP's, and usually only one-on-one with romance in the plot somewhere.

Enough of that. Onto the epilogue! =D / *sniffle* Thank you all for staying with me!

The usual disclaimer applies.

* * *

Epilogue: Forget Me Not

"Pheenie!"

Seraphyne ran as fast as her little legs could carry her. She giggled loudly, frequently glancing over her shoulder to see if they were chasing her.

"Pheenie, slow down!" called a woman. "You might hurt yourself!"

"You hafta catch me first- _Oof_!"

The little girl looked up, blonde curls bouncing around her face. More giggles erupted from Seraphyne as she felt strong arms wrap around her, lifting her from the ground. Her heart was pounding, and she immediately wiggled, struggling to remove herself from her captor.

"Look at that," said the man, green eyes twinkling merrily. "Seems as though I caught you."

"You can never catch me!" the girl exclaimed, flailing wildly. The man grunted slightly as her foot made contact with his gut, but he smiled anyway, looking up as the woman approached them, breathing heavily. His green eyes immediately flickered to a pale shade of lavender.

"Someone was being naughty and running from mummy, it seems."

"_She _wants me to take a bath," said the little girl defiantly. "What if she wanted me to jump from a cloud? Would she expect me to do it?" The lady and the man exchanged knowing smiles.

"I won't have a bath!" Seraphyne exclaimed. "You don't scare me!"

_Poof._

"_Ah!_" Seraphyne hid her face deep within the many fabrics that clothed her father's chest. After a few seconds, only when she realized there was complete silence, did she open one eye.

"Hello, strange child."

"Chess!" Seraphyne reached her chubby arms out to the purple cat, but he quickly evaporated before she could take hold. He settled himself down on the large top hat upon the man's head, watching the girl with amusement.

"I'm gonna getcha!" Seraphyne exclaimed, stretching her arms but failing to reach. She was giggling again.

"I have presents for the two of you," said the Cat to the woman, swishing his tail. Two blue flowers found their way behind the ears of the woman and her daughter.

"What are these?" asked Seraphyne, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"Forget Me Nots," replied the Cat, head held high. "The only flowers grown here from the world above."

"_Wow._ The world above? That's where mommy's from, right?"

"Right," said the man, kissing Seraphyne on top of the head. Seraphyne giggled.

"Your eyes look funny, daddy."

"They're just showing how much I love you and your mommy," he responded, giving her an Eskimo kiss.

"Eww!" exclaimed the girl.

The woman leaned into the man with a smile, whispering in his ear.

"Mr. Hightopp, I do believe your daughter is being very unreasonable."

"I do believe you're right, Mrs. Hightopp, but she's your daughter too, and I'm almost certain she inherited such bold defiance from you." He gave the woman a kiss, the little girl between them giggling as she reached out to the floating cat.

"What else do you have there, Chessy-poo?" the girl asked.

The Cat glared at the man who was giggling at the title 'Chessy-poo.'

"You're lucky she's cute. Now – gather 'round for a photograph." The Cat pulled out a very old-looking camera.

"Oh my," said the woman. "Where did you get that?"

"It's mine," said the man with a smile. "My father found it in London after he and my mother married. We've been using it ever since. Whenever McTwisp went up to the surface he would snatch some film for us, too." He set his daughter down on the ground, and his wife knelt down beside the girl, pressing her cheek against hers.

"Smile at daddy, sweetheart," she said as the man took the camera from the cat.

They smiled at the camera, the blue flowers standing out against yellow hair.

* * *

People disappear all the time.

Ask the police officers who've lost a criminal due a change of identity. Ask the anguished housewives who leave their cheating husbands and are never seen again. Ask the children who are upset, run away, and are unable to find their way back home.

Ask the mothers of abducted children.

Helen Kingsleigh sighed as she stepped out of the carriage. Margaret Gibb, her married daughter, was standing on the stone steps of the cathedral. Both women were wearing blue. The two women said nothing, merely acknowledging each other with hugs, before walking inside the massive building. They removed their headgear and walked through the empty pews, to the side, where rows and rows of candles stood. Some were lit, others weren't. They both lit two more candles and kneeled in front of them, bowing their heads in prayer. They each held a blue flower between their palms, a _Forget Me Not._ They were symbols of their lost Alice, never to be forgotten.

Many of the lost are found eventually. Sometimes they will be alive, sometimes dead. Disappearances, after all, have explanations. An explanation is an explanation no matter how mad it may be – usually. This disappearance, however, had yet to have an explanation. It was almost as though Alice and her abductor had vanished from the face of the Earth.

This was a ritual for them. Every month, they would light a candle for Alice Kingsleigh, the daughter who had been lost and never found. It had been years since her disappearance. They would light candles, pray, eat lunch, then return to the Kingsleigh Manor and chat. Helen and Margaret were close, bound together by the memories of Alice and Charles Kingsleigh. The two of them had been one in the same, always off in their own little world with thoughts and ideas much too bold for the people of this century.

"Her dreams, I remember, would always bother her," said Helen.

"At least she's at peace now," replied Margaret.

"I hope so."

"Mrs. Kingsleigh?" Helen looked up, smiling kindly at the butler who had knocked so politely on the door.

"Yes, Mr. Black?"

"You've a letter."

"Thank you."

She accepted the envelope from him, waiting until he had left the room before opening it.

"What is it?" asked Margaret curiously. Helen didn't respond, too busy with opening the envelope. After a few seconds of paper rustling, the woman retrieved the document that had been inside. It wasn't a letter, though; there was no writing. Helen's eyebrow's rose high, her eyes widening as her gaze settled upon the photo.

"Mother?"

Margaret leaned, maneuvering around the table so she could see what Helen was looking at. When she saw it, she gasped, almost knocking over her tea in the process.

In the photo was an eerily familiar blonde woman, very pretty in her mid to late twenties, smiling and pressing her cheek against a small girl's. The resemblance between the two was uncanny, the only difference in their eyes. While the woman, clearly the mother, had darker brown eyes, the young girl's eyes were the most bright, unique shade of green. The two had an air of love and serenity in the photo.

"Is that... is that Alice?" asked Margaret, eyes wide. Helen nodded. She would recognize her youngest baby anywhere.

"But why would she send us this?"

"To let us know she's all right," said Helen fondly, caressing her daughter's face in the photograph. Her eyes began to water slightly. Suddenly, Helen noticed something. Tucked behind their left ears was a flower – a blue flower.

A Forget Me Not.

* * *

**A/N**: I really appreciate all of those who took the time out of their busy schedules to read this story; it makes writing worth it. I can only hope you all enjoyed it, and "je love you" all!


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